Chapman v. Social Security Administration, Commissioner

On January 21, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued an unpublished per curiam decision in Chapman v. Social Security Administration. The plaintiff, Larry Chapman, appealed pro se from the district court's order affirming the Commissioner's denial of his application for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. An Administrative Law Judge had previously found that Chapman retained the residual functional capacity to perform sedentary work with certain limitations, and thus was not disabled. Chapman argued on appeal that the ALJ erred by failing to properly weigh medical opinions, including improperly rejecting the opinions of his treating physicians and substituting his own judgment. The Eleventh Circuit reviewed the record and concluded that substantial evidence supported the ALJ's decision, affirming the district court's judgment without oral argument.

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's decision upholding the Commissioner's denial of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, finding that substantial evidence supported the ALJ's determination.

Whether the Administrative Law Judge properly evaluated medical opinions and whether substantial evidence supported the finding that the claimant retained the residual functional capacity to perform sedentary work, thereby rendering him not disabled under the Social Security Act.

This unpublished decision reinforces the substantial evidence standard of review in Social Security appeals, demonstrating appellate deference to agency determinations where the record contains sufficient support. It highlights the procedural challenges faced by pro se litigants in federal disability appeals.