Santos VILLA, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Margaret M. HECKLER, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Defendant-Appellee

Villa appeals from a judgment of the district court affirming the decision of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary), which denied Villa’s applications for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income benefits (disability benefits). He contends that the Sécretary’s selection of a disability onset date is not supported by substantial evidence and that the Secretary erred in classifying his prior work as medium work. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand.

I

Villa was employed as a cook in a labor camp for approximately 22 years. He has no formal education, speaks only Spanish, and is illiterate in both English and Spanish. Villa filed applications for disability benefits under Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 401-433 , 1381-1383c (the Act), alleging that he became disabled on February 10, 1979, as a result of back, neck, and shoulder injuries, hypertension, and emotional disorders. The Social Security Administration denied the applications, and Villa appealed to the Office of Hearings and Appeals (Appeals Office). An administrative law judge (AU) of the…