Barnhart v. Thomas
United States Supreme Court
540 U.S. 20 (2003)
Relevant factsFree
Pauline Thomas (plaintiff) applied for disability benefits after her elevator-operator job was eliminated, but an administrative law judge denied her claim on the ground that she remained physically capable of doing that former job, even though the job itself no longer existed in significant numbers nationally. The Third Circuit reversed in Thomas's favor, and the Social Security Administration (defendant) sought Supreme Court review.
IssueFree
Whether, under the Social Security Act, the Social Security Administration may deny disability benefits on the ground that the claimant can perform her previous work, without considering whether that work still exists in the national economy.