Hamilton v. Commissioner, Social Security Administration - Document 32

IN THE UNITED STATES D I S T R I C T COURT FOR THE D I S T R I C T OF OREGON GEORGE HAMILTON, Plaintiff CV 0 7 - 6 2 7 8 - P K ORDER v. MICHAEL J . ASTRUE, Commissioner of Social Security Defendant. MARSH, J u d g e : On O c t o b e r 2 , 2 0 0 8 , M a g i s t r a t e J u d g e P a p a k i s s u e d a F i n d i n g s and Recommendation that defendant's final decision denying p l a i n t i f f ' s claim for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income should be affirmed. Plaintiff has f i l e d t i m e l y o b j e c t i o n s a n d t h e m a t t e r i s n o w b e f o r e me p u r s u a n t t o 2 8 U . S . C . § 6 3 6 ( b ) ( 1 ) (B) a n d F e d . R. C i v . P . 7 2 ( b ) o n d e n o v o 1 - ORDER  review. Inc., See 28 U.S.C. § 6 3 6 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( C ) ; B h a n v . NME H o s p i t a l s , 929 F.2d 1404, 1415 (9th Cir. 1991). P l a i n t i f f alleges he i s disabled because of back, leg, and knee pain, b i l a t e r a l carpal tunnel syndrome, and liver problems. Following a careful review of the record, I concur in the Magistrate Judge's Findings t h a t ( l ) t h e ALJ did not improperly ignore Dr. Howison's August 12, 2005, opinion t h a t p l a i n t i f f was " d i s a b l e d and i n no way w i l l be able t o be g a i n f u l l y employed i n the near future," (2) the Appeals Council did not improperly d i s c o u n t D r . H o w i s o n ' s May 1 0 , 2 0 0 7 , l e t t e r t o p l a i n t i f f ' s counsel t h a t p l a i n t i f f could not perform l i g h t work, and (3) the Magistrate Judge did not err in upholding the ALJ's partial rejection of plaintiff's testimony regarding the severity of his pain-related limitations. For these reasons, I find no error in the Findings and R e c o m m e n d a t i o n ( d o c . 2 2 ) , a n d I a d o p t t h e m a s my o w n . Accordingly, the Commissioner's decision denying plaintiff's claim for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security i n c o m e i s AFFIRMED a n d t h i s c a s e i s DISMISSED w i t h p r e j u d i c e . I T I S SO ORDERED. DATED t h i s 2. '2 day of January, 2009. Malcolm F. Marsh Senior united States District Judge 2 - ORDER