Pendergast v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 2:2015cv00221 - Document 27 (M.D. Fla. 2016)

Court Description: OPINION AND ORDER accepting and adopting 26 Report and Recommendations; affirming the Decision of the Commissioner of Social Security. The Clerk shall enter judgment accordingly and close the file. Signed by Judge John E. Steele on 8/16/2016. (RKR)

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Pendergast v. Commissioner of Social Security Doc. 27 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA FORT MYERS DIVISION MAUREEN A. PENDERGAST, Plaintiff, v. Case No: 2:15-cv-221-FtM-29MRM COMMISSIONER SECURITY, OF SOCIAL Defendant. OPINION AND ORDER This matter is before the Court on consideration of Magistrate Judge Mac R. McCoy’s Report and Recommendation (Doc. #26), filed on July 29, 2016, recommending that the Decision of the Commissioner be affirmed. No objections have been filed, and the time to do so has expired. The Court reviews the Commissioner’s decision to determine if it is supported by substantial evidence and based upon proper legal standards. Crawford v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 363 F.3d 1155, 1158 (11th Cir. 2004) (citing Lewis v. Callahan, 125 F.3d 1436, 1439 (11th Cir. 1997)). Substantial evidence is more than a scintilla but less than a preponderance, and is such relevant evidence as a reasonable person would accept as adequate to support a conclusion. Moore v. Barnhart, 405 F.3d 1208, 1211 (11th Cir. 2005) (citing Dockets.Justia.com Crawford, 363 F.3d at 1158-59). Even if the evidence preponderates against the Commissioner’s findings, the Court must affirm if the evidence. decision Crawford, reached 363 F.3d is at supported 1158-59 by (citing Sullivan, 894 F.2d 1520, 1529 (11th Cir. 1990)). substantial Martin v. The Court does not decide facts anew, make credibility judgments, reweigh the evidence, or substitute its judgment for that of the Commissioner. Moore, 405 F.3d at 1211 (citing Bloodsworth v. Heckler, 703 F.2d 1233, 1239 (11th Cir. 1983)); Dyer v. Barnhart, 395 F.3d 1206, 1210 (11th Cir. 2005) (citing Phillips v. Barnhart, 357 F.3d 1232, 1240 n.8 (11th Cir. 2004)). The Court reviews the Commissioner’s conclusions of law under a de novo standard of review. Ingram v. Comm’r of SSA, 496 F.3d 1253, 1260 (11th Cir. 2007) (citing Martin, 894 F.2d at 1529). The Magistrate Judge found that the ALJ considered plaintiff’s complaints of headaches in combination with her severe and non-severe impairments, and that the decision was supported by substantial evidence. The Magistrate Judge further found that the ALJ properly relied on the opinions of Dr. Ragsdale and Dr. Waldman to determine plaintiff’s RFC, and also found that plaintiff’s noncompliance with medications was only one factor in the ALJ’s credibility determination that - 2 - was otherwise supported by substantial evidence. After an independent review, the Court agrees with the findings and recommendations in the Report and Recommendation. Accordingly, it is now ORDERED: 1. The Report and Recommendation (Doc. #26) is accepted and adopted by the Court. 2. The Decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is affirmed. 3. The Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment accordingly and close the file. DONE and ORDERED at Fort Myers, Florida, this of August, 2016. Copies: Hon. Mac R. McCoy U.S. Magistrate Judge Counsel of Record - 3 - 16th day

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