Keith v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 5:2016cv00103 - Document 25 (W.D. Ky. 2018)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 4/10/2018. A separate judgment shall enter.cc:counsel (KJA)
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Keith v. Commissioner of Social Security LAURA KIMBERLY KEITH Doc. 25 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY PADUCAH DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. : CV 3 LLK PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT v. NANCY A. BERRYHILL, Acti g Co issio er of Social Security MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER This atte is efo e the Cou t o Plai tiff's Co 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 # a d , espe ti el , a d the ase is ipe fo dete i atio . The pa ties ha e o se ted to the ju isdi tio of the u de sig ed Magist ate Judge to dete i e this ase, ith a appeal l i g efo e the “i th Ci uit Cou t of Appeals. Do ket # . Plai tiff lai s that she is disa led e ause she a ot sustai e e sede ta o k due to he i a ilit to sit fo fou hou s total du i g a eight hou o kda a d/o he eed to ele ate he feet a o e aist le el fo o e tha o e hou pe o kda i additio to o suppo ted Goi s Ha the al eaks . He lai is edi al opi io s of li e sed ad a ed p a ti e egiste ed u se AP‘N Ta a “. o a d Kip Bea d, M.D. Nu se Goi s Ha o is Plai tiff s p i a health a e p o ide , a d D . Bea d is a o e ti e e a i i g sou e to ho the Ad i ist ati e La Judge ALJ se t Plai tiff fo e aluatio afte the ad i ist ati e hea i g. The Cou t ill ‘EMAND this atte to the Co issio e fo a e de isio e ause the ALJ s de isio failed to ide tif su sta tial e ide e i suppo t of its eje tio of the opi io s of Nu se Goi s Ha o a d D . Bea . Dockets.Justia.com Backgrou d The ALJ de ied Plai tiff s lai at the last step of the se ue tial e aluatio p o ess ased o a fi di g that, although she a o lo ge pe fo pe fo a sig ifi a t u he past ele a t o k, she etai s the a ilit to e of sede ta jo s i the atio al e o o le k a d e eptio ist. Ad i ist ati e ‘e o d A‘ , pp. – spe ifi all , ge e al offi e . Be ause these jo s a e lassified as sede ta , 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 ““‘ a ot pe fo , WL , at * . The o atio al e pe t VE testified that Plai tiff these jo s if she has to ele ate he feet a o e aist le el fo o e tha o e hou pe eight hou o kda i additio to o al eaks . A‘, p. . Plai tiff lai s that she is disa led e ause he ‘a aud s phe o e o , eu opath , a d fi o algia do ot allo he to si hou s total du i g a eight hou o kda a d e ui e he to ele ate he feet a o e aist le el fo o e tha o e hou pe o kda . Plai tiff has a histo of falls, i ludi g a e e t fall esulti g i at the ti e of the ALJ s de isio u healed pel i a d foot f a tu es. Due to foot i ju , she o e a sta ilizi g o t olled a kle ‘a aud's phe o e o is a diso de a ked spas s of the lood essels i the li s, espe iall i the legs, a d o e ofte i the toes. Du i g a atta k, the affe ted pa t a hes a d feels old. The spas s a e usuall i itiated e posu e to old a d e otio al st ai . Hicks . Co ’r of Soc. Sec., No. : – – , WL . W.D. Va. Fe . , . Du i g a atta k, the affe ted e t e it a e o e dis olo ed pale hite o lue . ‘a aud s a e p i a o se o da , i.e., asso iated ith a othe i pai e t. At the ad i ist ati e hea i g, Plai tiff s des i ed he ‘a aud s as follo s: Like ight o feet a e like I getti g stu g lots of ees a d fi ge tips, the ill tu pu pose at ti es. Oh, a d I all it the F edd K uege s d o e … like I ha e these o es ehi d k ee a d it feels like he s i the e t i g to pull the i side of the a k of alf us le a d stuff out, ou k o , it s like he s just i the e diggi g. A‘, p. . Neu opath is defi ed as a a o al a d usuall dege e ati e state of the e ous s ste o e es; also: a s ste i o ditio as us ula at oph that ste s f o a eu opath . Wil ore . Co ’r, No. : , WL . E.D. Mi h. De . , uoti g https:// . e ia e ste . o /di tio a / eu opath # edi alDi tio a . Pe iphe al eu opath is a disease o dege e ati e state as pol eu opath of the pe iphe al e es i hi h oto , se so , o aso oto e e fi e s a e affe ted a d hi h is a ked us le eak ess a d at oph , pai , a d u ess. Id. The “o ial “e u it Ad i ist atio des i es fi o algia as a o ple edi al o ditio ha a te ized p i a il idesp ead pai i the joi ts, us les, te do s, o ea soft tissues that has pe sisted fo at least o ths. “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ p, WL , at * . o e e t CAM alke oot to the ad i ist ati e hea i g a d he post hea i g appoi t e t ith D . Bea d. A‘, p. . Plai tiff att i utes he te de to fall to ‘a aud s phe o e o affe ti g he lo e e t e ities. “he testified that, he she last fell, she stood up a d ega alki g ithout ealiz[i g], ou k o , that [ eight. A‘, p. foot] as asleep that ad a d … I ould t, ou k o , hold od . At the outset of the hea i g, the ALJ asked Plai tiff di e tl h she elie es she a e e a sede ta jo , a d Plai tiff espo ded e ause I o sta tl ha e to ele ate f o falli g asleep. A‘, p. e ui es spe ial a o ot hold feet to get the . “he testified that the ele atio o u s e e da , a d she e e odatio at hu h. A‘, p. . I additio to ele atio , she has to ha ge positio f e ue tl f o sitti g to sta di g/ alki g a d i e e sa e ause foot ele atio helps fo a little hile a d the …, ou k o , ou e got to o e agai , ou k o … like I o sta tl u … see s like it helps the lood get a k to the . A‘, p. the ALJ allo ed Plai tiff to sta d up to elie e s . Nea the lose of the hea i g, Plai tiff asked a d pto s. A‘, p. . Plai tiff s testi o of ei g u a le to sit fo p olo ged pe iods of ti e a d eedi g to ele ate he feet he she is sitti g as suppo ted Nu se Goi s Ha Fi o the opi io of Nu se Goi s Ha o o pleted the sta da d ph si al assess e t fo o . I Fe ua , a d diag osed: algia; Ch o i a k pai – ulgi g disks; Ch o i fatigue s d o e; Ch o i heada hes; “leep ap ea; ‘a aud s phe o e o ; a d Dep essio . A‘, p. Plai tiff eeds to est, e li e o lie do to alle iate pai , fatigue, o othe s . Whe asked hethe pto s du i g a eight hou o kda , the Nu se espo ded f e ue tl . Id. . Whe asked ho a hou s i a eight hou o kda Plai tiff a sit, sta d, a d alk, the Nu se espo ded a d e plai ed that Plai tiff a ot sta i positio fo a set ti e due to pai i a k a d legs. Id. . Whe asked to ate Plai tiff s Plai tiff s te de to f a tu e o es he she falls a e elated to he osteopo osis, hi h, i tu , a e elated to he p io gast i pass su ge , hi h ad e sel affe ts he od s a ilit to a so ut ie ts. A‘, pp. . a ilities to lift/ a a d use he ha ds a d feet fo epetiti e a tio , the Nu se espo ded a el / o e, stati g that this as due to ‘a aud s phe o e o a d fi o fou d that Plai tiff s i pai algia. Id. . The Nu se e ts ould likel esult i outi e a se es f o o k fou o o e da s pe o th. Id. . Afte the hea i g, the ALJ se t Plai tiff to D . Bea d e aluatio . D . Bea d s i p essio as: ‘ight fifth etata sal ase o displa ed f a tu e; epo ted o u io ith pla s fo a o e sti ulato ; Left supe io /i fe io pu li a i a d ight sa al ala f a tu e, age i dete to histo ; Fi o pp. algia; ‘a aud s phe o e o ; a d Neu opath , a o di g to histo . A‘, . The Do to fou d that, due to these o ditio s, Plai tiff a sit fo a total of fou hou s a d sta d/ alk fo t o hou s pe eight hou o kda . A‘, p. pe fo i ate appa e tl a o di g . Whe asked hat a ti it is [Plai tiff] i g fo the est of the hou s? the Do to espo ded seated ith leg ele atio , positio al ha ge, e u I his e t. Id. . itte de isio , the ALJ ga e o eight to Nu se Goi s Ha o s opi io e ause a AP‘N is ot a a epta le edi al sou e a d e ause he opi io as: … e t e e a d ot suppo ted a fa ts, as the lai a t he self epo ted a ti ities su h as d i i g a d ooki g, hi h e ui e at least so e a ilit to sit a d sta d. I additio , he o t eat e t otes state that edi atio helps the lai a t fu tio ith less pai . A‘, p. . The ALJ ga e little eight to D . Bea d s opi io e ause it: … o t adi ted his o [e a i atio ] otes he e [Plai tiff] alked u assisted a d did ot appea to eed a assisti e de i e. He failed to e plai h he li ited [Plai tiff] to fou hou s of sitti g he du i g his e a i atio , [Plai tiff] appea ed o fo ta le hile sitti g. Also, he failed to a ou t fo e ide e i the e o d that [Plai tiff] ill likel i p o e as he pel i f a tu e heals. A‘, p. . Plai tiff o se es that the ALJ s ha a te izatio of he alki g as u assisted is isleadi g e ause D . Bea d oted that she as ea i g a CAM alke oot, a ot alk a lo k at a easo a le pa e o ough o u e e su fa es, a d e ui es a s oote to pe fo a ti ities like shoppi g. A‘, pp. , . Fi di gs a d Co clusio s Plai tiff a gues that the ALJ s de isio failed to ide tif su sta tial e ide e i suppo t of its eje tio of the opi io s of Nu se Goi s Ha As to Nu se Goi s Ha sou e. A‘, p. o a d D . Bea d. The a gu e t is pe suasi e. o , the ALJ o e tl fou d that a AP‘N is ot a a epta le edi al . Ho e e , that lassifi atio alo e did ot a a t the ALJ s gi i g the Nu se s opi io o eight. Id. . Additio all , hile the Nu se s opi io does appea to e e t e e if o e fo uses o the Nu se s fi di gs of esse tiall o a ilities to sit, sta d, alk, lift, a , o use ha ds a d feet, the opi io appea s less e t e e if o e o side s the Nu se s e pla atio s. A o di g to the Nu se, Plai tiff s ‘a aud s phe o e o a d fi o e gage i these a ti ities e ause Plai tiff a a d legs. A‘, p. algia ake it i possi le to assig set a ilities to ot sta i positio fo a set ti e due to pai i a k . I othe o ds, the lai is ot that Plai tiff is a helpless i alid i apa le of Judi ial e ie of the Co issio e s fi al de isio pu sua t to U.“.C. § g o te plates a su sta tial e ide e e ie . “u sta tial e ide e o sists of o e tha a s i tilla of e ide e ut less tha a p epo de a e. Austi . Co ’r, F. App th Ci . uoti g Rogers . Co ’r, F. d , th Ci . . It o stitutes su h ele a t e ide e as a easo a le i d ight a ept as ade uate to suppo t a o lusio . Id. uoti g Cutlip . Sec’y of Health & Hu a Ser s., F. d , th Ci . . I dete i i g hethe su sta tial e ide e suppo ts a ALJ s de isio , e ie i g ou ts ust o side the ad i ist ati e e o d as a hole a d ust take i to a ou t hate e i the e o d fai l det a ts f o [the de isio s] eight. Id. uoti g Bea ers . Sec’y, F. d , th Ci . . The e sio of C.F.‘. § . a i effe t at the ti e of the ALJ s de isio p o ided that a epta le edi al sou es a e li e sed ph si ia s edi al o osteopathi do to s ; li e sed o e tified ps hologists; li e sed opto et ists; li e sed podiat ists; a d ualified spee h la guage pathologists. Medi al sou es ot o this list, i ludi g li e sed ad a ed p a ti e u ses, e e dee ed to e othe sou es. “e tio . d . While e e t ha ges to the egulatio s o i lude li e sed ad a ed p a ti e egiste ed u ses a o g the list of a epta le edi al sou es, the ha ges a e e p essl ot et oa ti e. See C.F.‘. § . a A epta le edi al sou e ea s a edi al sou e ho is a … Li e sed Ad a ed P a ti e ‘egiste ed Nu se … fo i pai e ts ithi his o he li e sed s ope of p a ti e … o l ith espe t to lai s filed … o o afte Ma h , . Though the a e ot e titled to o t olli g eight pu sua t to “e tio . , othe sou e opi io s a e to e e aluated pu sua t to the sa e fa to s listed at “e tio s . th ough fo e aluati g opi io s f o a epta le edi al sou es. See “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ p, WL , at * These fa to s ep ese t asi p i iples that appl to the o side atio of all opi io s f o edi al sou es ho a e ot a epta le edi al sou es as ell as f o othe sou es .
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