Mr. C was injured while on the job. He filed a workers’ compensation claim for a low back injury in the state where he resided. A joint independent medical examination was performed by two physicians in connection with his claim. The doctors diagnosed a lumbar multilevel degenerative disc disease and concluded that his condition was permanent and stationary with no permanent impairment. An osteopath recommended that Mr. C use a reclining chair to perform his job duties at work. Mr. C filed an application for
Social Security Disability Benefits. The Administrative Law Judge concluded that he was not entitled to disability benefits. The Appeals Council denied review and the district court affirmed the appeals councils decision.
It went up the U.S. Court of Appeals which found that the district court properly affirmed the Social Security Administrations Commissioner's decision denying benefits in that it was supported by substantial evidence. Substantial evidence is relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion. In this case the administrative law judge rejected Mr. C's assertion that he had to change positions constantly when sitting finding it inconsistent with his full time college attendance. Mr. C did not state that he needed to constantly adjust his position while sitting in class. The ALJ also rejected his testimony that he could lift only 10 pounds occasionally base on a Physicians opinion that Mr. C could lift 10 pounds frequently. The court stated that contradiction with the medical record is a sufficient basis for rejecting a claimant's testimony. The Court of Appeals found that the reasons the ALJ relied on where supported by substantial evidence in the record and the Claimants disability claim was therefore denied.