Johnson v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 1:2018cv00032 - Document 21 (W.D. Ky. 2019)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 1/29/2019. Because the ALJ failed to identify substantial reasons for giving little weight to Dr. Lopez-Suescum's post-hearing diagnosis and findings and for discounting Plaintiff's alleged limitations due to pain, this matter is hereby REMANDED for a new decision and any further proceedings deemed necessary and appropriate by the Commissioner. cc: Counsel (CDF)
Download PDF
<![CDATA[
Johnson v. Commissioner of Social Security Doc. 21 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY BOWLING GREEN DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. : 8 CV LLK JEREMY LEE JOHNSON PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT . NANCY A. BERRYHILL, A ti g Co issio er of So ial Se urity 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 fa t a d la su is at ‘. dete issio e de i g his lai fo “o ial “e u it disa ilit a is at ‘. , a d Defe da t s fa t a d la su a i oppositio . The pa ties ha e o se ted to the ju isdi tio of the u de sig ed agist ate judge to i e this ase, ith a appeal l i g efo e the “i th Ci uit Cou t of Appeals. [‘. is ipe fo dete .] The atte i atio . Be ause the Ad i ist ati e La Judge ALJ failed to ide tif su sta tial easo s fo gi i g little eight to D . Lopez “ues u s post hea i g diag osis a d fi di gs a d fo dis ou ti g Plai tiff s alleged li itatio s due to pai , the Cou t ill ‘EMAND this atte fo a e de isio a d a fu the p o eedi gs dee ed e essa a d app op iate the Co issio e . Plai tiff’s right groi i pair e t Plai tiff as o i ith a e la ge he ia i his ight g oi a ea poi ti g to the lo e uad a t. [Ad i ist ati e ‘e o d A‘ , p. .] The i pai Plai tiff e pe ie ed e u e e of the he ia i epai su ge . [Id.] Plai tiff testified that he thi d su ge . [A‘, p. a d agai i , ea h ti e follo ed esh e e got ette a d did ot etu to o k afte his .] He e pe ie es o sta t ight g oi pai poi ti g i the di e tio of the i gui al a al to a d the ight side of his s otu . [A‘, pp. Plai tiff s pai is a out a eight e e da . [A‘, p. e t as epai ed ith esh. [Id.] , .] O a s ale f o o e to te , ] Dockets.Justia.com Plai tiff appa e tl is pu sui g a p odu ts lia ilit a tio agai st the a ufa tu e of the esh used i o e of the su ge ies. [A‘, p. .] It as pol p op le e a d the e o ki g o that. The e [had] a e all o that esh. [Id.] A out t o eeks afte the thi d su ge , ealizi g that his pai as ot getti g a ette , Plai tiff atte pted sui ide edi atio a d uses a o e dose. [A‘, pp. a is to a age his h o i pai . [A‘, pp. At the Fe ua , , .] Plai tiff takes pai .] ad i ist ati e hea i g, the ALJ oted that the p e ise o igi of Plai tiff s pai as ot esta lished a d suggested that it a e due to e e e t ap e t as opposed to lea e ide e of he ia e u e e . [A‘, pp. .] A o di g to the ALJ, si e the ould t fi d, ou k o , [ lea e ide e of] a e u e t he ia, the e as so e talk a out so e othe issues that ight e i the e like e e e t ap e t. [Id.] Plai tiff i di ated that a pel i CT s a is o e of the est ethods of dete i i g hethe the e has ee a e u e e a d, if so, its deg ee a d atu e. [A‘, p. Plai tiff has had a pel i CT s a , ut do to s e e o ta ted e a k o a thi g. [Id.] Plai tiff e e tuall e uested efe al to a spe ialist ut as told that A o di g to Plai tiff, do to s do ot .] o it as up to e. [A‘, p. .] a t to ess ith e e ause I guess [afte th ee epa atio su ge ies] the looked at e like I as a lia ilit . [A‘, p. .] The ALJ a k o ledged that su geo s do te d to e ki d of hesita t to go a k i the e e ause the do figu e, ou k o , at so e poi t e e just goi g to e doi g o e ha tha good. [Id.] Plai tiff e plai ed that, at ost, he is a le to sit fo that he lea fo i utes to hou e ause sitti g ui es a d ight at the e d of the g oi , he e he has te de s a tissue. [A‘, p. feels like I ha e to elease it a lot to lea o e a d it hu ts. [A‘, pp. .] [I]t .] Although the ALJ left the e o d ope to o tai a post hea i g o sultati e e aluatio of Plai tiff s li itatio s due to his ight g oi i pai e t [A‘, pp. ], the ALJ p o eeded to uestio the o atio al e pe t VE ased o assu ed, p o isio al li itatio s. “pe ifi all , the ALJ asked the VE to assu e a i di idual ha i g the follo i g li itatio s: li ited to sede ta o k e ui i g, a o g othe thi gs, hou s of sitti g pe hou o kda ; a o asio all stoop, ou h, o li a ot a l, k eel, o li a ps o stai s; ladde s, opes, o s affolds; a f e ue tl ha dle, fi ge , o g asp, a d a ot ea h o e head; a d a tole ate o asio al e posu e to e t e e old, i atio , da ge ous a hi e o u p ote ted heights. [A‘, p. sig ifi a t u asse .] The VE testified that su h a i di idual a pe fo e of jo s i the atio al e o o , i ludi g le , i spe to , a d su eilla e s ste o ito . [A‘, p. I Ma h , sede ta , u skilled jo s of .] , afte the hea i g, D . Lopez “ues u e a i ed Plai tiff, o se ed a ill defi ed ulge i Plai tiff s ight g oi a ea, hi h he opi ed ight e ui e o e su ge . [A‘, p. E a i atio e ealed that Plai tiff s g oi a ea as s a ed, i du ated [i.e., ha i g e o e fi espe iall i a .] o ha d ease of fi ous ele e ts, Me ia We ste ], te de , eake ed, a d at ophied: [T]he patie t has a so t of … ill defi ed ulge i the ight i gui al egio al al ost i ol i g the ost po e pa t of the ight lo e uad a t. The a ea is athe i du ated. The e a e ultiple s a s due to p e ious su ge ies. The e is o i fla atio , ho e e , this s a i the a ea see s to e so t of fi oti a d te de o palpatio . … The patie t is o sta tl o plai i g of pai i the [g oi ] a ea i du i g the ou se of the a ge of otio e a i atio ega dless. … The oto st e gth of the ight lo e e t e it iliopsoas us le is / o a ou t of the pai of the ight g oi a d he has de eloped at oph of the us les of the thigh a te io aspe t. [A‘, pp. .] D . Lopez “ues u diag osed [ ]o ple pai s d o e of the ight g oi a ea ith adiatio of pai to the e te al ge ital espe iall the ight testi le. [A‘, p. A o g othe thi gs, D . Lopez “ues u li ited Plai tiff s lifti g/ a a out to .] i g to o pou ds fo a ds due to ight g oi he ia, e u e t, pai ful a d li ited Plai tiff to hou ea h of sitti g, sta di g, a d alki g pe hou o kda ith la [i g] do at least hou s du i g the e ai i g hou s due to ight g oi he ia, e u e t, pai ful. [A‘, pp. , .] The ALJ’s fi di gs The ALJ dete i ed Plai tiff s esidual fu tio al apa it ‘FC to e the sa e p o isio al li itatio s he asked the VE to assu e at the Fe ua little eight to the post hea i g hea i g . [A‘, pp. , .] The ALJ ga e edi al opi io f o D . Lopez “ues u , hi h the ALJ hi self o de ed. [A‘, p. su je ti e s .] The ALJ dete i ed Plai tiff s o plai ts of li itatio s due to pai a d othe pto s to e edi le o l to the e te t of the ALJ s ‘FC fi di g. [A‘, pp. ]. The ALJ de ied Plai tiff s disa ilit lai at the fifth a d fi al step of the se ue tial e aluatio p o ess ased o a o lusio that Plai tiff a pe fo e o o . [A‘, pp. , a sig ifi a t u e of sede ta , u skilled jo s i the atio al .] The ALJ failed to ide tify su sta tial reaso s for gi i g little eight to Dr. Lopez Sues u ’s diag osis a d fi di gs. As oted a o e, as pa t of his ‘FC dete i atio , the ALJ ga e little eight to D . Lopez “ues u s post hea i g fi di gs. [A‘, p. .] Plai tiff a gues that the ALJ s de isio to dis ou t D . Lopez “ues u s fi di gs as ot suppo ted su sta tial e ide e a d that the ALJ e s i o side i g the edi al opi io of the o sulti g ph si ia [i.e., D . Lopez “ues u ]. [‘. easo s fo gi i g little eight to D . Lopez “ues u at .] The ALJ ide tified se e s edi al opi io . Fo the easo s elo , o e is pe suasi e. Fi st, the ALJ fou d that D . Lopez “ues u lift/ a “ues u s fi di gs ega di g Plai tiff s e e tio al a ilities to , sit, sta d, a d alk to e e t e el est i ti e et ithout suppo t. [A‘, p. .] D . Lopez s fi di gs a e as ell suppo ted as Plai tiff s diag osis of o ple pai s d o e pe its. The ALJ i di ated that he ight ha e ee illi g to a ept additio al est i tio s e o d those the ALJ ga e to the VE if the e e e lea e ide e of he ia e u e e as opposed to the ill defi ed ulge o se ed D . Lopez “ues u o e e e t ap e t. [A‘, pp. , .] Ho e e , athe tha e u e e o e t ap e t , D . Lopez “ues u diag osed [ ]o ple pai s d o e of the ight g oi a ea ith adiatio of pai to the e te al ge ital espe iall the ight testi le. [A‘, p. .] Co ple egio al pai s d o e is a h o i pai s d o e esulti g f o t au a o su ge to a od pa t. “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ p, WL Co ple ‘egio al Pai “ d o e . It is ha a te ized , at * E aluati g Cases I ol i g … s patheti fight o flight e ous s ste d sfu tio at the site of the p e ipitati g t au a, a d the pai is ha a te isti all out of p opo tio to the se e it of the p e ipitati g i ju . Id. O je ti el , o e a o se e ha ges i the lood essels, ski olo a d te tu e , a d us ulatu e at oph a d o ilit . Id. Additio all , the e a e e t e e se siti it to tou h o p essu e applied to the affe ted a ea. Id. at * . Co siste t ith the fo egoi g diag osti ite ia, D . Lopez “ues u fou d Plai tiff s g oi a ea to e s a ed, i du ated, te de , eake ed, a d at ophied [A‘, pp. ], a d the ALJ oted that e a i e s oted h pe se siti it o e agge ated espo se to ild tou hi g at ti es. [A‘, p. .] The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff suffe s f o se e e, o o atio all sig ifi a t, histo of e u e t ight i gui al he ia ut does ot dis uss D . Lopez “ues u s diag osis of o ple pai s d o e. [A‘, pp. “e o d, the ALJ fou d that D . Lopez “ues u , .] s o se atio that Plai tiff e hi ited of st e gth i the ight iliopsoas us le to e ot a o siste t fi di g i the lo gitudi al t eati g e o d. [A‘, p. .] Yet the ALJ ited o p io fi di g that Plai tiff e hi ited st e gth i his ight iliopsoas us le. D . Lopez “ues u s fi di g of la k of st e gth as suppo ted of the us les of the thigh a te io aspe t. [A‘, p. o je ti e edi al e ide e, i.e., at oph .] Thi d, the ALJ fou d that D . “ues u Lopez, i e plai i g the lai a t s li ited a ilit to sta d a d alk, … epo ted the lai a t la s do at least hou s? suggesti g he elied e lusi el o a su je ti e o plai t that he hi self uestio ed. [A‘, p. .] D . Lopez “ues u li ited Plai tiff to hou ea h of sitti g, sta di g, a d alki g pe hou o kda due to ight g oi he ia, e u e t, pai ful. [A‘, pp. o kda . The fo .] This esulted i a total of hou s of sitti g, sta di g, a d alki g pe hou asked D . Lopez “ues u , [i]f the total ti e fo sitti g, sta di g a d alki g does ot e ual o e eed hou s, hat a ti it is the i di idual pe fo D . Lopez “ues u espo ded la s do D . Lopez “ues u i g fo the est of the hou s? a d at least hou s? [A‘, p. .] Co t a to the ALJ s fi di g, s espo se does ot i di ate that D . Lopez “ues u su je ti e o plai t that he hi self uestio ed. [A‘, p. elied e lusi el o a .] D . Lopez “ues u si pl fou d that Plai tiff s edi al o ditio a a ts a fi di g that he a sit/sta d/ alk fo o l hou s du i g a hou pe iod, a d he had o i fo atio as to hat Plai tiff ould do du i g the e ai i g hou s a d it is i ele a t . Fou th, the ALJ fou d that D . Lopez “ues u , [i] suppo t fo the lai a t s postu al li itatio s[,] … si pl ote, li es at g ou d le el. [A‘, p. .] While the fa t that Plai tiff li es at g ou d le el does ot suppo t postu al li itatio s est i ti g his a ilities to li stai s, a ps, ladde s, s affolds, ala e, stoop, k eel, ou h, a l , the li itatio s a e suppo ted D . Lopez “ues u s fi di g that Plai tiff is li ited i his a ge of otio a d st e gth due to g oi pai a d at oph . [A‘, pp. .] Fifth, the ALJ fou d that D . Lopez “ues u assesses li itatio s o use of foot o t ols ithout des i i g a u de l i g i pai e t o ph si al fi di gs to suppo t the li itatio . [A‘, pp. , .] D . Lopez “ues u fou d that Plai tiff is li ited i his a ilit to ope ate foot o t ols fo the sa e easo Plai tiff is li ited i his a ilities to sit, sta d, a d alk, i.e., ight g oi he ia, e u e t, pai ful. [A‘, pp. .] “i th, the ALJ fou d that D . Lopez “ues u failed to ite a li i al suppo t fo fi di g that Plai tiff a o l o asio all tole ate e i o e tal o ditio s su h as hu idit , et ess, dust, odo s, fu es, pul o a i ita ts, e t e e old, heat, a d i atio s. [A‘, pp. .] This o e sight is ot of ase dispositi e sig ifi a e e ause the e is o i di atio that the sede ta , u skilled jo s the ALJ fou d Plai tiff a pe fo [A‘, pp. , ] e ui e o e tha o asio al e posu e to these o ditio s. “e e th, the ALJ fou d that D . Lopez “ues u is u su e if the lai a t eeds a est i tio f o oise le els despite o hea i g o plai ts. [A‘, pp. , .] D . Lopez “ues u s ad issio that due to la k of e ide e/testi g he does ot k o hethe Plai tiff eeds to a oid loud oises does ot u de i e the sig ifi a t e e tio al a d postu al li itatio s he opi ed. The ALJ failed to ide tify su sta tial reaso s for dis ou ti g Plai tiff’s alleged li itatio s due to pai . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff s o plai ts of li itatio s due to pai a d othe su je ti e s a e edi le o l to the e te t of the ALJ s ‘FC fi di gs. [A‘, pp. as ot suppo ted su sta tial e ide e a d that the ALJ s s pto s ]. Plai tiff a gues that this fi di g pto s e aluatio is fla ed. [‘. at .] I additio to the post hea i g ph si al e aluatio f o D . Lopez “ues u , the ALJ o tai ed a post hea i g e tal e aluatio f o li e sed ps hologi al p a titio e A appa e tl as u a a e of D . Lopez “ues u ette F eel, M.“. Ms. F eel s diag osis of o ple pai s d o e [A‘, p. ], hi h, defi itio , o u s he the deg ee of pai epo ted is out of p opo tio to the se e it of the i ju sustai ed the i di idual. “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ p, WL , at * . Ms. F eel fou d that Plai tiff is e fo used o his pai … that is pe ei ed as de ilitati g, diag osed so ati diso de ith pai , ith o t i uti g ps hologi al fa to s, a d e o edu i g Plai tiff s e otio al o e la a d his thi ki g he a pp. e ded t eat e t fo used o ot do a thi g e ause of his pai . [A‘, .] Additio all , Ms. F eel diag osed a ijua a use diso de , al ohol use diso de i pa tial e issio , a d isuse of opioid ediatio . [A‘, pp. , .] The ALJ efe e ed Ms. F eel s fi di gs i suppo t of a o lusio that, [ ]o i ed ith [Plai tiff s] histo of opioid a use a d e agge ated pai espo ses, the u de sig ed fi ds the eight of the e ide e i o siste t ith the lai a t s allegatio s. [A‘, p. .] I efe e i g Ms. F eel s fi di gs, hi h did ot take i to a ou t D . Lopez “ues u s s diag osis, the ALJ u fai l ps hologized a possi le patheti e ous s ste d sfu tio as a so atofo pai edi atio as p i a il a eha io al p o le . diso de a d t eated Plai tiff s use/a use of Order Be ause the ALJ failed to ide tif su sta tial easo s fo gi i g little eight to D . Lopez “ues u s post hea i g diag osis a d fi di gs a d fo dis ou ti g Plai tiff s alleged li itatio s due to pai , this atte is he e ‘EMANDED fo a e de isio a d a fu the p o eedi gs dee ed e essa a d app op iate the Co issio e . January 29, 2019
]]>
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You
should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
