Benjamin CRUZ RIVERA, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Defendant, Appellee

Benjamin Cruz Rivera (claimant) appeals from a judgment affirming a decision by the Secretary of Health and Human Services denying his application for social security disability benefits. We affirm.

Claimant applied for disability benefits on August 17, 1983, alleging disability since February, 1978. His application was denied initially and upon reconsideration. After a hearing, an AU found that claimant was not disabled because he did not have a severe impairment. 1 2 The Appeals Council denied review of the ALJ’s decision, thus making it the final decision of the Secretary.

Under the…