Wills v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 1:2016cv00150 - Document 21 (W.D. Ky. 2017)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 5/8/2017. This matter is hereby REMANDED to the Commissioner for a new decision and further administrative proceedings. cc:counsel (JWM)
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Wills v. Commissioner of Social Security Doc. 21 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY BOWLING GREEN DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. : CV LLK JOELYN ANN WILLS PLAINTIFF issio er of So ial Se urity DEFENDANT . NANCY A. BERRYHILL, A ti g Co 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. Plai tiff s issio e de i g he lai fo “o ial “e u it disa ilit otio fo judg e t o the pleadi gs i.e., the ad i ist ati e e o d a d Defe da t s fa t a d la su a i oppositio a e at Do kets to the ju isdi tio of the u de sig ed Magist ate Judge to dete efo e the “i th Ci uit Cou t of Appeals. Do ket a d . The pa ties ha e o se ted i e this ase, ith a appeal l i g . Be ause the ad i ist ati e la judge s ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff has the esidual fu tio al apa it ‘FC to sta d/ alk fo hou s pe hou o kda is u suppo ted this atte ill e ‘EMANDED to the Co su sta tial e ide e, issio e fo a e de isio a d fu the ad i ist ati e p o eedi gs. Plai tiff’s edi al i pair e ts I , a ele t oe ephalog a EEG of the ele t i al a ti it i Plai tiff s ai e ealed ild slo i g a d diso ga izatio o siste t ith diffuse e e al d sfu tio a d suggesti e of e t al egulati g e ha is diso de . Ad i ist ati e ‘e o d A‘ , p. . I , Plai tiff o ti ued to o plai of dizz spells, hi h e e fou d to e a a ifestatio of seizu e a ti it , o a dail asis. A‘, p. . Dockets.Justia.com I , a ele t o a diog a EKG e ealed that Plai tiff also suffe s f o Wolff Pa ki so White WPW s d o e. A‘, p. . WPW s d o e is a hea t o ditio i hi h the e is a e t a ele t i al path a i the hea t et ee the at ia a d the e t i les. “tottle . Co issio e , . M.D.Fla. . The o ditio a lead to episodes of ta h a dia apid hea t ate , s loss of o s ious ess, ofte due to lo lood p essu e , a d ea s C.F.‘., Appe di , § . t eated u de F defi i g s ope a d ea s WL ope ope alte ed o s ious ess . Id.; ope . WPW s d o e a e edi atio s, ele t i al a dio e sio sho k , a d athete a latio . Id. Although Plai tiff e t a latio t eat e t, pseudo seizu e a ti it o ti ued. A‘, p. I additio to dizzi ess, Plai tiff s seizu es a ifest i the fo failu e of us ula oo di atio . Ali . Co issio e , . of ata ia. A‘, p. WL . . Ata ia is a E.D.Mi h. . It ofte o u s he pa ts of the e ous s ste that o t ol o e e t a e da aged. Id. People ith ata ia a e pe ie e a failu e of us le o t ol i thei a s a d legs, esulti g i a la k of ala e a d oo di atio o a distu a e of gait. Id. Plai tiff s ata ia esults i gait distu a e a d affe ts he a ilit to sta d/ alk. A‘, p. . Plai tiff’s disa ility lai prior to the ALJ’s de isio I , Plai tiff applied fo “upple e tal “e u it I o e ““I e efits. I Ja ua fo , Plai tiff s t eati g ph si ia , La e e Koss, opi ed, ased i pa t o a EEG , that Plai tiff s u p edi ta le episodes of dizzi ess a d seizu e like a ti it e de he u suita le to a o kpla e, e ui e he to lie supi e to esol e episodes, a d li it he to hou s of sta di g/ alki g pe hou o kda . P io ALJ s de isio at A‘, p. . Be ause the e e o tai ed i o e tio ith Plai tiff s p io disa ilit lai , eithe D . Koss opi io o the EEG test esults a e pa t of the p ese t ad i ist ati e e o d. The opi io a d EEG e e dis ussed i the p io ALJ s de isio , hi h is pa t of the p ese t e o d. “ee p io ALJ s de isio at A‘, pp. . I Fe ua , the p io ALJ issued a full fa o a le de isio , fi di g that D . Koss s opi io is e titled to o t olli g eight a d that Plai tiff is est i ted to sede ta o k, ith o o e tha hou s of sta di g/ alki g pe hou o kda . P io ALJ s De isio at A‘, pp. Plai tiff e ei ed disa ilit pa e ts a d did ot o k u til . , he she ega o ki g as a usto e se i e ep ese tati e at a all e te t ou leshooti g ith usto e s o e the pho e. A‘, pp. te . Plai tiff ea ed $ , i i ated f o he jo o Ma do . A‘, p. , $ , , i , a d $ , i . A‘, p. due to f e ue t si k da s a d dizz spells e ui i g he to lie . I Jul , . “he as , Plai tiff filed the p ese t lai fo ““I e efits, allegi g disa ilit egi . A‘, p. . At the state age le el, the Co o e a i i g p og a ph si ia , Do i g o Ma issio e de ied Plai tiff s disa ilit lai . The state age a “adle , fou d that the e as o e a d ate ial e ide e ha gi g the p io ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff is li ited to sede ta o k, ith o o e tha hou s of sta di g/ alki g pe hou o kda . A‘, p. pe fo . The state age fou d that Plai tiff as a le to he past ele a t o k as a usto e se i e ep ese tati e, hi h as sede ta . Plai tiff’s disa ility lai at the ALJ le el Plai tiff e uested e ie a ALJ. I De e Fla p. egi e . D . Fla e , Plai tiff s e t eati g ph si ia afte o i g to Ke tu k as A tho e diag osed ata ia, seizu e diso de , WPW s d o e, a d aso agal s . He opi ed li itatio s si ila to those p e iousl gi e i g o Ma , lea ed fo o k. A‘, pp. , Plai tiff a a d ope. A‘, D s. Koss a d “adle . He fou d that, ot safel o k [a d] ust see a eu ologist efo e [ ei g] . He li ited Plai tiff to hou s of sitti g o the floo a d o sig ifi a t sta di g/ alki g du i g a hou o kda e ause he p o le is ata ia a d [she] falls at alki g a d steps he dizz . Id. He ad ised Plai tiff to use a fou legged alke . A‘, p. . I Ju e , the ALJ issued the de isio p ese tl efo e the Cou t, de i g Plai tiff s disa ilit lai . ALJ s de isio at A‘, pp. ‘FC to pe fo . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff has a esidual fu tio al apa it light o k e ept she a o l o asio all pe fo postu al a ti ities, a ladde s, opes o s affolds, a d ust a oid all e posu e to haza ds. A‘, pp. ot use . B defi itio , light o k o te plates a a ilit to sta d o alk, off a d o , fo a total of app o i atel hou s of a hou o kda , ith sitti g o u i g i te ““‘ , WL itte tl du i g the e ai i g ti e. “o ial “e u it ‘uli g . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff is ot disa led e ause she etai s the a ilit to pe fo ele a t o k as a usto e se i e ep ese tati e, hi h as sede ta . A‘, p. ALJ fou d that Plai tiff etai s the a ilit to pe fo e o o . A‘, pp. a sig ifi a t u he past . Alte ati el , the e of light jo s i the atio al . The ALJ ga e little eight to the opi io s of D s. “adle a d Fla e , hi h li ited Plai tiff to sede ta o k, ith o o e tha hou s of sta di g/ alki g pe hou o kda . A‘, p. . The ALJ’s fi di g that Plai tiff has a RFC for light ork is u supported y su sta tial e ide e. The ALJ s de isio to gi e little eight to the opi io s of D s. “adle a d Fla e appea s to ha e ee ased o the ALJ s a o oade fi di g that the e is o o je ti e a ato i al o ph siologi al alit suppo ti g Plai tiff s o plai ts of dizzi ess, s ope, a d ata ia affe ti g he a ilit to sta d/ alk: “i e the alleged o set date [o Ma , ], the e is o edi al e ide e of seizu es o s ope. O Jul , , , a M‘I of the ai as o al. [A‘, p. ]. Ca diolog e a s e e o al. [A‘, pp. a d ]. Neu olog e a i atio s t o diffe e t eu ologists [Wesle Chou a d A i )ia] fou d o o je ti e a o alities. Nu e ous p i a a e p o ide e a i atio s oted o a o alities e ept o th ee o asio s. ALJ s de isio at A‘, p. . A o di g to Plai tiff, i eje ti g the opi io s of D s. “adle a d Fla e , the ALJ eje ted e e edi al opi io of e o d [pe tai i g to hat she a still do despite he i pai e ts] a d i p ope l su stituted his o la opi io of the edi al e ide e. Do ket , p. . The th ee o asio s a e dis ussed at page of this Opi io . Co t a to the ALJ s fi di g of o a o plai ts a e suppo ted the esults of a o alit suppo ti g Plai tiff s o plai ts, the ele t oe ephalog a EEG , hi h e ealed ild slo i g a d diso ga izatio o siste t ith diffuse e e al d sfu tio a d suggesti e of e t al egulati g e ha is diso de . A‘, p. . The o al ai M‘I f o does ot p o e that Plai tiff o lo ge suffe s a e t al egulati g e ha is diso de . “i ila l , the e a s f o u de A‘, p. do ot ha ge Plai tiff s e t a latio i o a ou d al a diolog edi al histo , hi h i di ates that, although Plai tiff to t eat he WPW s d o e, pseudo seizu e a ti it o ti ued. . I , eu ologist Wesle Chou diag osed pa tial o ple seizu e, t pe seizu e A‘, p. , u ptoge i t pe epilepti iti all oted that Plai tiff o plai s of dizz spells as he a ifestatio of seizu e a ti it o a dail asis A‘, p. , a d sig ed off o a disa ilit fo Plai tiff, i fa t, has a seizu e diso de A‘, p. . I a a o ago a eu ologist. A‘, p. i di ati g that , eu ologist A i )ia fou d that Plai tiff has al EEG i the past a d has ee o Kepp a [a a ti seizu e edi atio ] as sta ted ea s . D . )ia added Depakote, a othe a ti seizu e Plai tiff s edi atio egi e to t eat he ig ai es. A‘, p. edi i e, Topa a . A‘, p. edi atio , to . Plai tiff took a othe a ti seizu e . The ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff has o a the o edi al opi io s of D s. “adle , Fla o alities ausi g he alleged seizu es is o t a to e , Chou, a d )ia a d he o goi g use of a ti seizu e edi atio . The ALJ s fi di g appea s to ha e ee ased upo a u a d edi al test esults i Plai tiff s e ote p e Ma , illi g ess to o side diag oses edi al histo , the elia ilit of hi h o ph si ia has uestio ed. Plai tiff a gues that, to the e te t the ALJ as u illi g to a ept p io test esults, the ALJ should ha e o de ed a o sultati e e a i atio a d e edi al tests to assess the e te t of he li itatio s. Do ket , p. . It lies ithi the ALJ s dis etio to pu hase a o sultati e e a i atio . Foste . Co issio e , F. d , th Ci . . D . “adle fou d a la k of e a d ate ial edi al e ide e ha gi g the p io assess e t of Plai tiff s i pai e ts a d li itatio s. A‘, p. . I o t ast, the ALJ fou d that the p e ious ALJ de isio … is o lo ge a a u ate efle tio of the lai a t s o k a ilities [ e ause] the lai a t s edi al situatio has ha ged. A‘, p. . Ad ittedl , Plai tiff s edi al situatio has ha ged i e tai espe ts. Fo e a ple, the ALJ fou d that Plai tiff o lo ge has a o atio all sig ifi a t e tal i pai e t. A‘, p. . The e is, ho e e , o e ide e that Plai tiff s edi al situatio o allo s he to sta d/ alk fo hou s pe hou o kda as e ui ed to pe fo D . Fla e O De e s opi io as si ila to D . “adle s. e . O O to e , o alki g. ‘o a light o k. , , D . Fla e oted that he had see Plai tiff o th ee o asio s. A‘, p. , he o se ed that Plai tiff s gait is e slo a d she does ha e a ata i s a e g is e ui o al. A‘, p. . O No e e , , he oted that, he ulati g, Plai tiff did skate, is slo ith s all steps, does ha e a pie e s a . ‘ighti g espo se is positi e, ith patie t ha i g to e aught. A‘, p. slightl slo ith slight ata ia s a . ‘o that D . Fla e s De e a ipulatio li ited to e , , he fou d that [g]ait is . e , opi io e ause: The gait a e o se ed o th ee o asio s do ot suppo t the li itatio s opi ed i ludi g e e sta d/ alk, e e lift/ a De e e e g is o de li e positi e ith defi ite a te io poste io s a . ‘ighti g espo se is positi e. A‘, p. The ALJ eje ted D . Fla . O De e , % of the i di ate o a , ilate al ha dli g li ited to o kda , a d e e ea hi g ; o alities ; a d eu ologist, A i )ia, M.D., did ot ote a a de isio at A‘, p. o D . Fla alities to suppo t D . Fla alities D . Fla e % of the o kda , ilate al [O] Ma , efe i g to D . )ia s assess e t at A‘, pp. o e s otes afte , a e a i atio e s opi io . ALJ s . [T]he ALJ ust p o ide good easo s fo dis ou ti g t eati g ph si ia s opi io s. ‘oge s . Co issio e , F. d , th Ci . . I light of Plai tiff s edi al histo as a hole a d he eed fo a ti seizu e a o edi atio , hi h o ph si ia uestio ed, the ALJ s fo us o o je ti e alities as so e hat ispla ed. It is u lea ho D . )ia s elati el e ig eu ologi al e a i atio i ludi g o al gait o o e o asio egates D . Fla e s o se atio s o e ti e of ata i s a a d dizzi ess. D . )ia o ti ued to assess dizzi ess elated to seizu e a ti it a d p es i ed Depakote. A‘, p. . While D . Fla e s o se atio of a gait distu a e o th ee o asio s a ot ha e full suppo ted his opi io that Plai tiff a e e sta d/ alk, D . Fla edi al asis fo fi di g that she a e had a su sta tial ot sta d/ alk fo hou s pe hou o kda . The ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff has a ‘FC fo light o k is u suppo ted su sta tial e ide e. The ALJ’s redi ility assess e t is u supported y su sta tial e ide e. At the o lusio of Plai tiff s testi o at the ad i ist ati e hea i g, Plai tiff e hi ited eha io o siste t ith D . Fla elie e s e s fi di g that Plai tiff s dizzi ess e ui es he to sit o the floo to pto s. The follo i g e ha ge o u ed A‘, pp. : ALJ: A d so ou e – ou e so t of slu ped o the ta le a d ou ha e ou ha ds out t i g to suppo t ou self. What s goi g o the e? Plai tiff: I dizz , a d I ha e a eall ad heada he. ALJ: Do ou – a e ou e e a le to alk o all ? Plai tiff: Not – ot eall . It gets eall ad he I lea e the house, so I do t lea e the house e ofte . ALJ: I just ote fo the e o d though he ou a e i to the hea i g oo , ou e e holdi g o to ou atto e , M . ‘eede , is that o e t? Plai tiff: Yes. ALJ: A e ou u a le to alk o ou o ? Plai tiff: Yes. ALJ: A e ou a le to – e ha e a ou d to o ti ue? o i utes left i this hea i g. You e a le – a e ou a le Plai tiff: It usuall helps if I a sit o the floo , ut I do t k o if I d e a le to. ALJ: Well, I do t ha e a o e uestio s fo ou. We ll … goi g to go to the o atio al po tio of the hea i g, so if ou a t, go ahead a d sit o the floo . Plai tiff: Ca ou help e, please? Atto e : Yes. ALJ: Just fo the e o d, the lai a t is u a le to get up o he o po e , a d is holdi g o to he atto e . No she s sitti g o the floo . Oka . We ll go to the o atio al po tio of the hea i g. The ALJ dis ou ted Plai tiff s alleged eed to a oid p olo ged sta di g/ alki g a d to sit o the floo due to dizzi ess e ause: At the hea i g, the lai a t s testi o a d de ea o e e o se ed, a d the esidual fu tio al apa it [fo light o k e ui i g hou s of sta di g/ alki g pe hou o kda ] efle ts, i o i atio ith the othe e ide e, the edi ilit i p essio eated the lai a t s testi o a d de ea o . Fo e a ple, the lai a t held o to he ep ese tati e hile e te i g the hea i g oo . Du i g the hea i g, the lai a t did ot sit up st aight, a d at so e poi t, she sat o the floo . This o du t did ot at h the a o e outli ed t eat e t histo i ludi g D . )ia s e a i atio th ee eeks ea lie . ALJ s de isio at A‘, p. . Whe a edi ilit dete i atio ega di g a lai a t's su je ti e o plai ts is at issue, a e ie i g ou t ill affi the ALJ s fi di g o l if it is e ide e. He a dez . Co Co issio e , F. d , issio e , th Ci . easo a le a d suppo ted Fed.App . th Ci . su sta tial uoti g ‘oge s . . I othe o ds: Whe e e a lai a t's o plai ts ega di g s pto s, o thei i te sit a d pe siste e, a e ot suppo ted o je ti e edi al e ide e, the ALJ ust ake a dete i atio of the edi ilit of the lai a t i o e tio ith his o he o plai ts ased o a o side atio of the e ti e ase e o d. The e ti e ase e o d i ludes a edi al sig s a d la fi di gs, the lai a t's o o plai ts of s pto s, a i fo atio p o ided the t eati g ph si ia s a d othe s, as ell as a othe ele a t e ide e o tai ed i the e o d. Id. uoti g ‘oge s at . Fo the easo s i di ated a o e, the ALJ la ked a su sta tial asis fo eje ti g the opi io s of the t eati g ph si ia s a d othe s ega di g Plai tiff s li itatio s. The ALJ s ega di g Plai tiff s su je ti e o plai ts is u suppo ted. edi ilit dete i atio Order Be ause the ad i ist ati e la judge s ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff has a esidual fu tio al apa it ‘FC to sta d/ alk fo hou s pe hou o kda is u suppo ted this atte is he e ‘EMANDED to the Co issio e fo a e de isio a d fu the ad i ist ati e p o eedi gs. May 8, 2017 su sta tial e ide e,
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