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Disabilities: Severe osteoarthritis of the bilateral knees, hypertension, status post left ankle fracture, and obesity
Notice of Decision: Fully Favorable
Administrative Law Judge: D. Kevin Dugan
Office of Disability Adjudication & Review (ODAR): Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida & Palm Beach County, Florida
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
After careful consideration of the entire record, the undersigned makes the following findings:
1. The claimant's date last insured is December 31, 2009.
2. The claimant has not engaged in substantial gainful activity since March 1, 2007, the amended alleged onset date (20 CFR 404.1520(b) and 404.1571 et seq.).
3. The claimant has the following severe impairments: severe osteoarthritis of the bilateral knees, hypertension, status post left ankle fracture, and obesity (20 CFR 404.1520(c)).
4. The claimant does not have an impairment or combination of impairments that meets or medically equals one of the listed impairments in 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 (20 CFR 404.1520(d)).
5. The claimant has the residual functional capacity to perform the full range of sedentary work as defined in 20 CFR 404.1567(a).
In making this finding, the undersigned considered all symptoms and the extent to which these symptoms can reasonably be accepted as consistent with the objective medical evidence and other evidence, based on the requirements of 20 CFR404.1529 and SSRs 96-4p and 96-7p. The undersigned has also considered opinion evidence in accordance with the requirements of 20 CFR 404.1527 and SSRs 96-2p, 96-6pand 06-3p.
The evidence establishes that the claimant underwent physical therapy in 2005 for degenerative joint disease of the left knee and an avulsion fracture of the left ankle. An August 2005 x-ray of the left foot revealed multiple irregular well corticated fragments posterior to the posterior superior aspect of the calcaneus compatible with old avulsion injury and oblique fracture through the base of the medial aspect of the left fifth metatarsal (Ex. 1F). There are no further medical records from a treating source until the claimant presented to the emergency department in October 2007 with right knee pain, and x-ray revealed prominent degenerative osteoarthritic changes with large associated knee joint effusion (Ex. 11F). The claimant was seen on one occasion at the 7th Avenue Clinic in November 2007, when she was noted to have swelling of both knees due to severe osteoarthritis as well as a positive ANA and hypertension (EX. 10F). A repeat x-ray of the right knee conducted in January 2008 showed moderate to severe chronic degenerative osteoarthritis affecting all 3 knee compartments.
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Awarded: Confidential