Connor v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 1:2015cv00158 - Document 21 (W.D. Ky. 2016)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 9/30/2016; Because the ALJ's decision is supported by substantial evidence and accords with applicable legal standards, the final decision of the Commissioner is hereby AFFIRMED and Plaintiff's complaint is DISMISSED. cc: Counsel (CDR)
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Connor v. Commissioner of Social Security Doc. 21 UNITED “TATE“ DI“TRICT COURT WE“TERN DI“TRICT OF KENTUCKY BOWLING GREEN DIVI“ION CIVIL ACTION NO. : 5 CV 58 LLK TIMOTHY BRYAN CONNOR PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT . CAROLYN COLVIN, Co issio e of “o ial “e u ity MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER This atte is efo e the Cou t o Plai tiff's o plai t seeki g judi ial e ie , pu sua t to U.“.C. g , of the fi al de isio of the Co e efits. The fa t a d la su issio e de i g his lai fo “o ial “e u it disa ilit a ies of Plai tiff a d Defe da t a e at Do kets ha e o se ted to the ju isdi tio of the u de sig ed Magist ate Judge to dete appeal l i g efo e the “i th Ci uit Cou t of Appeals. Do ket a d . The pa ties i e this ase, ith a . The ase is ipe fo dete i atio . The ad i ist ati e la judge ALJ fou d that Plai tiff has the esidual ph si al apa it ‘FC to etu to his past ele a t o k, hi h as sede ta . Be ause this fi di g is suppo ted e ide e i the ad i ist ati e e o d, the Cou t ill AFFI‘M the Co su sta tial issio e s fi al de isio . Ba kg ou d fa ts a d p o edu al histo y Plai tiff as o i . He suffe s f o o esit a d dege e ati e joi t a d dis disease. I , he last o ked as a i su a e/ e efits le k, a sede ta positio . He as laid off due to o k slo do a d applied fo Title II e efits. He is i su ed fo e efits th ough De e I “epte e , eu osu geo A El Nagga pe fo e . ed a a te io e i al dis e to a d fusio ACDF due to sig ifi a t C dis p olapse that is flatte i g the o d. Ad i ist ati e ‘e o d A‘ , p. . A o di g to D . El Nagga , Plai tiff did e ell afte su ge a d ega to esu e his dail a ti ities. A‘, p. . Dockets.Justia.com I his Ju e de isio , the ALJ fou d Plai tiff has a ‘FC to, a o g othe thi gs, pe fo sede ta o k … ith o sitti g o sta di g lo ge tha pe fo i utes o ti uousl . A‘, p. . To the full a ge of sede ta o k, pe iods of sta di g o alki g should ge e all total o o e tha a out hou s of a hou o kda , a d sitti g should ge e all total app o i atel hou s of a hou o kda . “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ , WL . The efo e, the ALJ i pli itl fou d that Plai tiff a alte ate sitti g a d sta di g/ alki g, sustai i g ea h a ti i g fo o lo ge tha i utes at a ti e, fo a total of hou s of sitti g a d hou s of sta di g/ alki g pe hou o kda . The ALJ fou d that the a o e ‘FC pe i su a e le k as he a tuall pe fo itted Plai tiff to etu to his past ele a t o k as ed it a d as it is ge e all pe fo ed i the atio al e o o ; the efo e, he is ot disa led. Plai tiff p ese ts o te tio s: The [ALJ] e ed i faili g to gi e o t olli g eight to the opi io of M . Co o s t eati g ph si ia s, A ot o side i g the a tual i pa t of lai a t s su a , Do ket I Jul , pp. a d El Nagga a d Ta elo ala ia i dete B o i i g [his] ‘FC. Fa t a d la . The ALJ as ot o liged to gi e o t olli g eight To D . El Nagga ’s p e su gi al opi io that Plai tiff is disa led. , p io to the “epte e ACDF su ge to o e t dis p olapse that is flatte i g the o d A‘, p. , D . El Nagga opi ed: Due to the p ese e of sig ifi a t spi al o d o p essio , I elie e the patie t should e o side ed totall a d pe e ide e of . The ALJ e ed elo ala ia of the spi al o d. A‘, p. a e tl disa led. He has . M elo ala ia is the softe i g of the spi al o d. “ ith . Co issio e , WL . “.D.Ohio . The ALJ fou d that: D . El Nagga s ge e alized opi io that lai a t as disa led is gi e o eight si e the opi io o this ulti ate issue is ese ed to the Co . issio e . ALJ s de isio , A‘, p. The ALJ de li ed to gi e a spe ial sig ifi a e to D . El Nagga s opi io that Plai tiff is disa led, a d this o po ted ith C.F.‘. . d , hi h p o ides: d . Opinions that you are disabled. We a e espo si le fo aki g the dete i atio o de isio a out hethe ou eet the statuto defi itio of disa ilit . I so doi g, e e ie all of the edi al fi di gs a d othe e ide e that suppo t a edi al sou e's state e t that ou a e disa led. A state e t a edi al sou e that ou a e disa led o u a le to o k does ot ea that e ill dete i e that ou a e disa led. d … d . We ill ot gi e a spe ial sig ifi a e to the sou e of a opi io o issues ese ed to the Co issio e des i ed i pa ag aph[] d . The ALJ as ot o liged to gi e o t olli g eight to D . El Nagga s p e su gi al opi io that Plai tiff is disa led. The ALJ as ot o liged to gi e o t olli g eight to D . B o ’s fi di gs, Whi h ould ot allo hi to sta d/ alk a d sit suffi ie tly to pe fo sede ta y o k. I Fe ua , D . B o o pleted at Plai tiff s e uest the Medi al Assess e t of A ilit to Do Wo k ‘elated A ti ities Ph si al fo . A o g othe thi gs, D . B o . Plai tiff a sta d/ alk ithout i te uptio fo fou d that: i utes, fo a total of i utes pe hou o kda , e ause: Ce i al M‘I p io to su ge sho s C /C dis ulge, ho d o p essio . [Patie t] o ti ues to ha e osteoa th itis i oth k ees. Lu a M‘I / sho s dis ulges L /L a d L /L ith high g ade eu ofo a i al a o i g/ o p essio at L . A‘, p. . Plai tiff a sit ithout i te uptio fo . i utes, fo a total of hou s pe hou o kda , e ause: [Patie t] has lo a k a d e k pai . His e i al M‘I sho s o d o p essio a d lu a M‘I sho s high g ade ilat[e al] eu ofo a i al ste osis. Id. . I Ap il Co , i D . B o e s si . k ees o fi added i a To Who It Ma Co e lette : M‘I fi di gs of M . ed dege e ati e a th itis ilate all …. The patie t has diffi ult getti g up f o a sitti g positio [a d] alki g dista es o e o e lo k…. Although f e ue t ha ge i positio is e o e ded to a oid stiff ess, he a a ti it . A‘, p. eased s elli g ithout . Be ause D . B o o t olli g ot alk fo e te ded pe iods due to i eight if as a t eati g ph si ia , the ALJ as o liged to gi e he edi al opi io s ell suppo ted edi all a epta le li i al a d la o ato diag osti te h i ues a d is ot i o siste t ith the othe su sta tial e ide e i ou ase e o d. . . The ALJ fou d that: Co side i g the spo adi atu e of these e ou te s [ ith D . B o pau it of edi al fi di gs, the ild atu e of lu alk C.F.‘. a M‘I fi di gs a d he o ], the ad i e that lai a t i utes th ee ti es pe eek, I ould ot e i li ed to a ept a opi io that M . Co si . ould e i apa le of sitti g, sta di g a d alki g a o i ed total of o l th ee a d o e half hou s pe da ; the efo e, little eight is a o ded he opi io . A‘, p. de li ed to gi e D . B o . D . B o e . Mo e spe ifi all , the ALJ s fi di gs o t olli g eight e ause: s t eat e t otes do ot efle t sig ifi a t o ilit issues o o plai ts, a d the e is o i di atio Plai tiff as p es i ed o used a a i je tio s fo e k o a k pai . A‘, pp. . D . B o e o . I De e e ulato aid, e k o a k a e, o epidu al . e ded o se ati e t eat e t su h as e e sti ulatio a d ph si al the ap . A‘, p. efe i g to A‘, p. , D . B o ad ised Plai tiff to alk i utes to ti es a eek. . . The e as a hiatus i t eat e t et ee De e efo e D . B o issued he disa li g fi di gs i Fe ua p o le s ea full ess i the left ea . A‘, p. e just o th , he Plai tiff o plai ed of hea i g efe i g to A‘, pp. a d Ja ua a d . The ajo dis epa ies et ee D . B o s fi di gs a d the ALJ s ‘FC fi di g appea to e that: . While D . B o opi ed that Plai tiff a sta d/ alk ithout i te uptio fo i utes, the ALJ fou d i utes. D . B o fou d that he a sta d/ alk a total of i utes, a d the ALJ i pli itl fou d hou s. . While D . B o opi ed that Plai tiff a sit a total of hou s, the ALJ i pli itl fou d hou s. . The lu a M‘I ield[ed] ild lu a ulges a d ste osis. A‘, p. efe i g to A‘, pp. . . Although the state age opi ed that Plai tiff a pe fo Plai tiff is li ited to sede ta e e tio a o fi di gs e ei ed afte hea i g. A‘, p. light o k, the ALJ fou d that odati g a sit/sta d optio due to e e t k ee M‘I efe i g to A‘, pp. . The ALJ ide tified su sta tial easo s fo de li i g to gi e o t olli g eight to D . B o s fi di gs, hi h ould p e lude sede ta i ludi g Plai tiff s past ele a t o k. Plai tiff s o te tio that the ALJ e ed i faili g to gi e o t olli g eight to the opi io s of D s. El Nagga a d B o is u pe suasi e. The ALJ’s de isio ade uately e aluated the li iti g effe ts of Plai tiff’s yelo ala ia. Plai tiff s se o d o te tio is that: The ALJ e ed lai a t s elo ala ia i dete opi io . Fa t a d la su I Jul de i i g [his] ‘FC a d did ot add ess [his] a , Do ket p e su ge ot o side i g the a tual i pa t of elo ala ia at all i his , p. . , D . El Nagga oted that Plai tiff s EMG/NCV is suggesti e of eli ati g disease, so I o de ed a M‘I of the ai as ell. A‘, p. elo ala ia of the spi al o d. A‘, p. . Plai tiff has e ide e of . The ALJ e og ized that Plai tiff suffe s se e e, o o atio all sig ifi a t, dege e ati e dis a d joi t disease. A‘, p. a pal tu . The ALJ fou d that: M . Co e si . has ee supplied ith splits fo el s d o e ased o a EMG hi h as positi e fo diffuse de eli ati g disease. Based ‘ega di g the fo egoi g easo s the ALJ ga e fo de li i g to gi e o t olli g eight to D . B o s fi di gs, the Co issio e o se es that: Plai tiff i sists that a solutel o e ide e i the e o d o t adi ts D . B o s fi di gs. … Plai tiff ig o es [these] good a d spe ifi easo s the ALJ p o ided fo gi i g little eight to D . B o s opi io of e t e e sta di g a d sitti g li itatio s. Fa t a d la su a , Do ket , pp. . o the e o d as detailed elo , I fi d these o ditio s [i.e., dege e ati e dis /joi t disease a d de eli ati g disease] to e se e e, esulti g i o e tha i i al o k elated li itatio s. Id. Plai tiff s a gu e t that the ALJ failed to e aluate the li iti g effe ts of his elo ala ia is u pe suasi e e ause: . As i di ated a o e, the ALJ e og ized that Plai tiff suffe s f o se e e de disease. A‘, p. eli ati g . It is ot self e ide e to o edi al e pe ts su h as Plai tiff a d this Cou t hat, if a thi g, is the diffe e e et ee de eli ati g disease a d sig ifi a t diffe e e, the elatio ship, if a , et ee i pai elo ala ia a d, if the e is a e ts. Plai tiff s a gu e t alls fo edi al spe ulatio . . The e o d fails to suppo t a o lusio that Plai tiff suffe s f o sepa ate a d disti t i pai e t . D . El Nagga did ot diag ose Plai tiff s ei g disa led to elo ala ia as a elo ala ia. He did ot att i ute elo ala ia, ut athe to spi al o d o p essio . A‘, p. stated that the e as e ide e of elo ala ia of the spi al o d. A‘, p. . He . He o de ed a ai M‘I due to this e ide e. Plai tiff, ho e e , poi ts to o su se ue t M‘I esults o edi al opi io o fi i g the p ese e of . E e if sho elo ala ia. elo ala ia is a sepa ate i pai that the i pai e t that he a tuall suffe s, Plai tiff has ot e t esults i o atio all sig ifi a t li itatio s i additio to those o te plated the ALJ s ‘FC fi di g. “ee Mazia z . “e eta , F. d ALJ o side s the li iti g effe ts of all se e e a d o se e e i pai i ludi g a spe ifi i pai a d M Glothi . Co ALJ fou d a i pai e t i the list of se e e i pai issio e , Fed.App . , , th Ci . e ts as a hole, the ALJ s ot e ts does ot o stitute e e si le e o th Ci . o pleted the e aluatio p o ess . I eighi g the e ide e, the ALJ e og ized that D . El Nagga fou d that the EMG as suggesti e of de eli ati g disease. A‘, p. . It is legall i ele a t that the e t to e o se e e e ause he a k o ledged othe se e e i pai If the e ts a d O de Be ause the ALJ s de isio is suppo ted legal sta da ds, the fi al de isio of the Co su sta tial e ide e a d a o ds ith appli a le issio e is he e AFFI‘MED a d Plai tiff s o plai t is DI“MI““ED. September 30, 2016
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