Amara Shepherd, o/b/o J.T.L.J. v. Frank Bisignano, Commissioner, Social Security Administration

Summary

The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas reviewed the denial of a minor’s application for Supplemental Security Income benefits. The court held that the administrative law judge’s findings regarding the child’s impairments, functional domains, medical and educational evidence, and subjective complaints were supported by substantial evidence, and affirmed the Commissioner’s decision.

Holdings

1. The ALJ's determination that J.T.L.J. was not disabled and that his impairments did not meet, medically equal, or functionally equal a listed impairment was supported by substantial evidence.
2. The ALJ properly evaluated J.T.L.J.'s subjective allegations and was not required to methodically discuss each regulatory factor so long as the ALJ acknowledged and examined the relevant factors before discounting the allegations.
3. A child's impairment is functionally equivalent to a listed impairment only if the child has marked limitations in two functional domains or an extreme limitation in one domain.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the ALJ's determination that J.T.L.J.'s impairments did not meet, medically equal, or functionally equal a listed impairment was supported by substantial evidence.
2. Whether the ALJ properly evaluated the medical, educational, and other nonmedical evidence.
3. Whether the ALJ properly evaluated the subjective allegations concerning J.T.L.J.'s functional limitations under 20 C.F.R. § 416.929(c) and Polaski.

Disposition

affirmed