Oliver v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 1:2019cv00034 - Document 21 (W.D. Ky. 2019)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER signed by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 11/25/2019. The Commissioner's final decision is hereby AFFIRMED, and Plaintiff's complaint is DISMISSED. cc: Counsel of Record (MNM)
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Oliver v. Commissioner of Social Security JAMIE LYNN OLIVER Doc. 21 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY BOWLING GREEN DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. : 9 CV LLK PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT v. ANDREW SAUL, Co issio er of Social Security 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 he 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 . Be ause the Ad i ist ati e La Judge s ALJ s de isio as suppo ted a d Plai tiff s a gu e ts a e u pe suasi e, the Cou t ill AFFI‘M the Co su sta tial e ide e issio e s fi al de isio a d DI“MI““ Plai tiff s o plai t. Backgrou d facts a d procedural history O Ma h , , the p io ALJ de ied Plai tiff s disa ilit lai . Ad i ist ati e ‘e o d A‘ at . The lai as ased o Plai tiff s ph si al i pai e ts k phosis of the spi e, fa et a th opath , a d pe iphe al eu opath , hi h e e fou d to li it Plai tiff to sede ta o k. A‘ at e tal i pai . Plai tiff s e t a iet as fou d to e o se e e, o ot o atio all sig ifi a t. Id. Plai tiff the filed the p ese t lai , allegi g she e a e disa led o Ma h , sa e ph si al i pai e ts plus a iet a d dep essio . A‘ at e aluatio of he ph si al i pai , due to the . Plai tiff does ot halle ge the ALJ s e ts, hi h as esse tiall the sa e as the p io e aluatio . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff s a iet a d dep essio a e se e e. A‘ at . Plai tiff a gues that he se e e a iet a d dep essio a e o e li iti g tha the ALJ fou d. Dockets.Justia.com I “epte e uest of the Co e , li e sed li i al ps hologist Kath “eigle , Ps .D., e a i ed Plai tiff at the issio e a d fou d, a o g othe thi gs, that Plai tiff has a ilities to sustai atte tio a d o e t atio to a ds the pe fo to tole ate st ess a d p essu e of da to da e plo a epted D . “eigle s fi di gs. A‘ at e t A‘ at efe e i g A‘ at a ked li itatio s i he a e of si ple, epetiti e tasks a d . I he itte de isio , the ALJ . First argu e t Plai tiff akes th ee a gu e ts. Fi st, Plai tiff a gues that the ALJ s fi di g that he a iet a d dep essio do ot satisf the li i al ite ia of Listi gs su sta tial e ide e. Do ket # at . a d/o . A‘ at is ot suppo ted . The pa ties fo us o hethe D . “eigle s fi di gs e ui ed the ALJ to fi d that the so alled pa ag aph B ite ia of the Listi gs e e satisfied. The pa ag aph B ite ia e e satisfied if Plai tiff had a e t e e o t o a ked li itatio s i the follo i g a eas: . U de sta d, e e e , o appl i fo atio . . I te a t ith othe s. . Co e t ate, pe sist, o ai tai pa e. . Adapt o a age o eself. Listi gs . a d . , Pa ag aph B. This opi io ill assu e fo the sake of a gu e t that D . “eigle s fi di g that Plai tiff has a a ked li itatio i a ilit to sustai atte tio a d o e t atio to a ds the pe fo epetiti e tasks A‘ at satisfied pa ag aph B a e of si ple, . The efo e, to sho that he a iet a d dep essio While Plai tiff is o e t that [t]he ALJ did ot spe ifi all state hat eight she a o ded the opi io s of o sultati e e a i e D . “eigle Do ket # at , i o te t, it appea s that the ALJ a epted D . “eigle s fi di gs. I a e e t, this opi io ill assu e fo the sake of a gu e t that the ALJ a epted o as e ui ed to a ept D . “eigle s fi di gs of t o a ked li itatio s. This opi io ill assu e fo the sake of a gu e t that the othe e ui e e ts of the Listi gs e e satisfied. This opi io does ot ea h the issue of hethe the ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff has a ode ate li itatio i pa ag aph B A‘ at is suppo ted su sta tial e ide e. satisfied the pa ag aph B ite ia of the Listi gs, Plai tiff ust sho that she has a pa ag aphs B , B , a d/o B . D . “eigle s fi di g that Plai tiff has a p essu e of da to da e plo a le to u de sta d, e e to da e plo a ked li itatio i e t A‘ at does ot satisf pa ag aph B e , o appl i fo e t. Pa ag aph B a ked li itatio i a ilit to tole ate st ess a d e ause o e ight e atio et e u a le to tole ate st ess a d p essu e of da is ot satisfied e ause o e ight e a le to i te a t ith othe s he e ui ed et e u a le to tole ate st ess a d p essu e o a da to da asis . Pa ag aph B is ot satisfied e ause o e ight e a le to adapt o a age o eself i o e s life as a hole et e u a le to tole ate st ess a d p essu e of da to da e plo e t. The ALJ ide tified su sta tial easo s fo de li i g to fi d a B , B , a d/o B a ked li itatio i pa ag aphs : [Plai tiff] did epo t a a ilit to do lau d , take out the ga age, feed he pets, a d lea he ath oo ithout assista e. “he also epo ted that she at hes tele isio , eads, a d spe ds ti e o the o pute . While she does ot like to e i la ge o ds of people a d p efe s to e alo e, she does so ialize ith fa il , so e f ie ds, a d he e t doo eigh o . “he is a le to at h tele isio a d u de sta d the o te t. “he also e jo s eadi g a d usi g the o pute . A‘ at . The efo e, the ALJ s fi di g that Plai tiff s a iet a d dep essio do ot satisf Listi gs . a d/o . A‘ at is suppo ted su sta tial e ide e. Seco d argu e t “e o d, Plai tiff a gues that the ALJ s fi di g that he a iet a d dep essio esult i o l the li itatio s stated i the ALJ s e tal esidual fu tio al apa it ‘FC fi di gs is ot suppo ted su sta tial e ide e. Do ket # at . The pa ties fo us o hethe D . “eigle s fi di gs e ui ed the ALJ to fi d g eate est i tio s. This opi io does ot ea h the issue of hethe su sta tial suppo ted the ALJ s fi di gs that Plai tiff has a ild li itatio i pa ag aph B , a ode ate li itatio i pa ag aph B , a d a ild li itatio i pa ag aph B . The a gu e t is u pe suasi e e ause D . “eigle s fi di gs a e o siste t ith the ALJ s e tal ‘FC fi di gs: [Plai tiff is] [a] le to u de sta d, e e e , a out sho t, si ple, outi e i st u tio s; a le to sustai atte tio / o e t atio fo hou pe iods at a ti e a d fo hou s i the o kda o sho t, si ple, outi e tasks; a use judg e t i aki g o k elated de isio s o siste t ith this t pe, that is sho t, si ple, a d outi e, of o k; a d e ui es o upatio ith set outi e a d p o edu es, a d fe ha ges du i g o kda like si ple outi e tasks; a d o fast pa ed p odu tio o k that is o asse l li e o k; ith o l o asio al i te a tio ith o o ke s, supe iso s, a d o i te a tio ith the ge e al pu li . A‘ at . Third argu e t At Plai tiff s e uest, he the apist at Lifeskills, I ., so ial o ke Tiffa He kel, M“W, o pleted a t o page e tal assess e t fo fo . B o e sight, Plai tiff su itted to the ALJ o l the fi st page of the the sig atu e a d date ei g o the se o d page. A‘ at Ms. He kel he ked . O page o e, a o g othe thi gs, o he asked hethe Plai tiff has the apa ilit to ai tai o e t atio , pe siste e a d pa e to o plete jo fu tio s fo pe iods lasti g o e tha t o hou s at a ti e a d i led se e e he asked to hat deg ee Plai tiff is li ited i he a ilit to deal ith o k st ess. A‘ at . The ALJ ga e page o e opi io , I a fi st su o eight e ause ithout i fo atio as to the sou e of this ot p ope l e aluate it u de the e ui e e ts. A‘ at efe e i g A‘ at . Plai tiff itted page to the Appeals Cou il, afte the ALJ s de isio , a d it is at page ad i ist ati e e o d. A‘ at . Page efle ts that Ms. He kel sig ed the fo o August of the , . Id. This opi io o st ues Plai tiff s thi d a gu e t as ei g that she is e titled to a so alled “e te e e a d to the ALJ fo o side atio of page . Do ket # at . “e te e of Be ause D . “eigle s fi di gs a e o siste t ith the ALJ s ‘FC fi di gs, Plai tiff s su o te tio that the ‘FC did ot a o odate he li ited a ilit to tole ate st ess, as e ui ed “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ , WL Do ket # at , is also u pe suasi e. I a sepa ate su headi g, Plai tiff states that he a gu e t as follo s: The Appeals Cou il e ed faili g to e a d this atte a k to the ALJ upo e eipt of the issi g page of Ms. He kel s opi io . Do ket # at U.“.C. § g autho izes the Cou t to e a d ases to the Co issio e fo o side atio of e ide e that as ot efo e the ALJ upo a sho i g that the e is e e ide e hi h is ate ial a d that the e is good ause fo the failu e to i o po ate su h e ide e i to the e o d i a p io p o eedi g. “e tio g . E ide e is ate ial if Plai tiff sho s that the e is a easo a le p o a ilit that the [ALJ] ould ha e ea hed a diffe e t dispositio of the disa ilit lai if p ese ted ith the e e ide e. Miller v. Co 'r, F. d , th Ci . . I this ase, the e is o easo a le p o a ilit of a diffe e t dispositio if p ese ted ith page e ause the ALJ ga e Ms. He kel s fi di gs o eight, i pa t, e ause [t]he e is o sho i g that this opi io as ade a a epta le edi al sou e. A‘ at . I fa t, as a so ial o ke , Ms. He kel is ot a a epta le edi al sou e ut athe a othe sou e. See “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ WL p, , at * E e a li e sed li i al so ial o ke is o l a othe sou e. . Plai tiff a gues that the ALJ as still e ui ed to o side the e ide e f o a othe sou e i.e., Ms. He kel a d that the e ide e i uestio i.e., page is ate ial due to its si ila it to the e ide e f o D . “eigle hi h as efo e the ALJ . Do ket # at . A o di g to Plai tiff, [t] o opi io s o tai i g the e a t sa e li itatio s is sig ifi a t, a d ould ha e led the ALJ to o lude that Plai tiff as disa led. Id. The a gu e t is u pe suasi e e ause the si ila it of the e e ide e f o Ms. He kel a d the old e ide e f o D . “eigle p o es that the e e ide e is ot ate ial. See Alle v. Co ’r, F. d , th Ci . Ne e ide e that as u ulati e of p o ati e e ide e al ead efo e the ALJ is ot ate ial. ; You g v. Sec'y, F. d , th Ci . Medi al . “t i tl speaki g, this Cou t la ks ju isdi tio to o side a y e o o the pa t of the Appeals Cou il e ause o l fi al de isio [s] of the Co issio e of “o ial “e u it ade afte a hea i g a e su je t to judi ial e ie u de U.“.C. § g . Whe the Appeals Cou il de li es to e ie the ALJ's de isio a d e de a e de isio , the ALJ s de isio e o es the Co issio e 's fi al de isio su je t to e ie . Cotto v. Sec’y of Health & Hu a Servs., F. d th Ci . . While e a d ate ial e ide e a e su itted to the Appeals Cou il fo o side atio , e still e ie the ALJ's de isio , ot the de ial of e ie the [A]ppeals [C]ou il. Casey v. Sec’y, F. d , th Ci . . The Co issio e es i ded ““‘ p fo lai s filed o o afte Ma h , . Fed. ‘eg. . Ho e e , Plai tiff filed he lai s efo e that date. A‘ at . e ide e that is e el u ulati e ... [is] ot ate ial ithi the ea i g of U.“.C. § g [as it] o tai ed othi g that ould ause the ALJ to ha ge his opi io . . The efo e, Plai tiff has ot de o st ated ate ialit of the e e ide e as e ui ed fo a “e te e e a d. Alte ati el , Plai tiff a gues that, i ot taki g steps to o tai page o he o tha si pl gi i g the u sig ed, u dated opi io fai l de elop the e o d. Do ket # at i itiati e athe o eight , the ALJ iolated he dut to full a d . The a gu e t is u pe suasi e e ause this opi io has al ead o luded that page as ot ate ial to the ALJ s de isio . No p i iple of ad i ist ati e la o o o se se e ui es us to e a d a ase i uest of a pe fe t opi io u less the e is easo to elie e that e a d ight lead to a diffe e t esult. Kor ecky v. Co 'r, F. App' , th Ci . . Order Be ause the ALJ s de isio as suppo ted u pe suasi e, the Co su sta tial e ide e a d Plai tiff s a gu e ts a e issio e s fi al de isio is he e AFFI‘MED, a d Plai tiff s o plai t is DI“MI““ED. November 25, 2019
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