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1. Can a claimant obtain benefits for just being morbidly obese?
No.
1a. If a claimant suffers from obesity and it is not his or her primary disabling condition, must the ALJ consider the effects of obesity on residual physical capacity in determining if the claimant is disabled or not?
Obesity is a problem that interferes with work space, ergonomics and mobility. It is a serious aggravating condition, that being said, an ALJ must consider obesity and its overall impact on a claimant’s ability to work. If the ALJ failed to take obesity into consideration in his denial of benefits, the ALJ may be reversed if it is found that “The ALJ failed to take into consideration the Claimant’s obesity and its effects on the Claimants Residual Functional Capacity.” Otherwise, if Obesity is the primary cause of a claimant not being able to engage in SGA, then his or her benefits are rightfully denied by effect of law.