Casey v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 5:2018cv00185 - Document 21 (W.D. Ky. 2019)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 10/30/2019. A separate judgment shall enter.cc:counsel (KJA)
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Casey v. Commissioner of Social Security Doc. 21 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY PADUCAH DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. 5: 8 CV 85 LLK KEVIN WAYNE CASEY PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT . ANDREW SAUL, 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. 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 Ad i ist ati e La Judge ALJ fou d that Plai tiff s spi e diso de , affe ti e diso de , a iet diso de , a d hea i g diso de li it hi to u skilled, sede ta o k. Ad i ist ati e ‘e o d A‘ at . Plai tiff a gues that he is o e li ited tha the ALJ fou d i light of the opi io of his t eati g ad a ed p a ti e egiste ed u se AP‘N , Leo Keh e ; the opi io of o e ti e e a i i g o sulta t, li e sed li i al ps hologist Lisa M. Ki g, Ps .D.; a d ps hologi al, a d othe su je ti e s his testi o a d allegatio s of pai , pto s. A ALJ is e ui ed to eigh opi io s f o AP‘Ns, e a i i g ps hologists, a d allegatio s of su je ti e s , pto s ased upo a eighi g of ultiple fa to s as set fo th at “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ WL , C.F.‘. § . , a d C.F.‘. § . i ii . Plai tiff s a gu e ts a e u pe suasi e e ause the do ot sho that the ALJ a used he dis etio i eighi g these fa to s o that su sta tial e ide e does ot suppo t the ALJ s fi di gs. While su sta tial e ide e a ha e suppo ted a diffe e t eighi g, this does ot a a t judi ial distu a e of the ALJ s de isio fo the easo s e plai ed the “i th Ci uit: Dockets.Justia.com The su sta tial e ide e sta da d is et if a easo a le i d ight a ept the ele a t e ide e as ade uate to suppo t a o lusio . The su sta tial e ide e sta da d ... p esupposes that the e is a zo e of hoi e ithi hi h the de isio ake s a go eithe a , ithout i te fe e e the ou ts. The efo e, if su sta tial e ide e suppo ts the ALJ's de isio , this Cou t defe s to that fi di g e e if the e is su sta tial e ide e i the e o d that ould ha e suppo ted a opposite o lusio . Blakley v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., F. d , th Ci . i te al uotatio s eli i ated . Be ause the ALJ s de isio is suppo ted su sta tial e ide e a d e ause Plai tiff s a gu e ts a e u pe suasi e, the Cou t ill AFFI‘M the Co issio e s fi al de isio a d DI“MI““ Plai tiff s o plai t. Plai tiff’s disa ility lai a d the ALJ’s de isio Plai tiff is a ou ge i di idual o i Ap il . A‘ at . He alleges that he e a e disa led i , afte falli g f o a t ee hile helpi g a eigh o et ie e a at. A‘ at . Ph si all , the ALJ fou d that Plai tiff suffe s f o a spi e diso de that li its hi to sede ta o k. A‘ at , . Me tall , e e efo e the fall, Plai tiff suffe ed f o affe ti e a d a iet diso de s as ell as addi tio to al ohol, Lo ta , a d etha pheta i es, hi h he o e a e p io to . A‘ at ; Do ket # at . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff s affe ti e a d a iet diso de s li it hi to si ple, outi e tasks a o plished i o o e tha t o hou seg e ts, ith o p odu tio / uota ased tasks, a d o l o asio al o ta t ith supe iso s, o o ke s, a d the pu li . A‘ at . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff is ot disa led e ause, although he a o lo ge pe fo ele a t o k, he etai s the a ilit to pe fo atio al e o o . A‘ at a sig ifi a t u a past e of u skilled, sede ta jo s i the . E a ples of su h jo s i lude do u e t p epa e , ti ket he ke , a d su eilla e s ste o ito . Id. The ALJ’s eighi g of the edi al opi io s The O thopaedi I stitute of Weste Ke tu k t eated Plai tiff fo his spi e diso de . A o di g to Plai tiff, ad a ed p a ti e egiste ed u se AP‘N Leo Keh e is pa t of a ulti fa to ial t eat e t tea at the O thopaedi I stitute. Do ket # at . I No e e , appa e tl at Plai tiff s e uest, AP‘N Keh e o pleted the Atte di g Ph si ia ‘est i tio s fo that Plai tiff s i pai o th. A‘ at , fi di g, a o g othe thi gs, e ts ould likel esult i outi e a se es f o o k fou o o e da s pe . The ALJ e og ized that AP‘N Keh e s fi di gs, if a epted, ould effe ti el p e lude a a d all o atio al a ti it . A‘ at . I dete i i g Plai tiff s ph si al ‘FC fo a li ited a ge of sede ta o k, the ALJ ga e little eight to AP‘N Keh e s opi io fo se e al easo s: This le el of li itatio is a ifestl too est i ti e i light of the o je ti e e o d. ‘athe , it appea s to e p e ised o e o the lai a t s su je ti e asse tio s. Also, as a u se p a titio e , M . Keh e is ot a tuall o side ed a a epta le sou e to gi e a edi al opi io . A‘ at . I De e e , Plai tiff as e a i ed at the e uest of the Co issio e li e sed li i al ps hologist Lisa M. Ki g, Ps .D. D . Ki g opi ed, a o g othe thi gs, that Plai tiff is a kedl li ited i his a ilities to tole ate st ess a d p essu e of da to da e plo o e t atio to a ds pe fo e t a d to sustai atte tio a d a e of si ple epetiti e tasks. A‘ at a d the e o d as a hole, the Co . I light of D . Ki g s fi di gs issio e s o e a i i g p og a ps hiat ist, Ale Gue e o, o pleted the Me tal ‘esidual Fu tio al Capa it Assess e t fo . A‘ at . I dete i i g Plai tiff s e tal ‘FC, the ALJ ga e [ ]o sig ifi a t eight to D . Ki g s opi io a d g eat eight to D . Gue e o s opi io . A‘ at . The ALJ dis ou ted D . Ki g s opi io fo se e al easo s: This deg ee of e tal li itatio ould a gua l p e lude a a d all o atio al a ti it a d ep ese ts o o e tha a s apshot of the lai a t s fu tio i g at the ti e it as ade. It is lea l ot easo a l o siste t ith the lai a t s ps hologi al t eat e t histo si e the a e ded alleged o set date. A‘ at . Plai tiff’s first argu e t is u persuasi e. Plai tiff s fi st a gu e t is that the ALJ e ed i gi i g little eight to AP‘N Keh e s opi io . A‘ at ; Do ket # at . The a gu e t is u pe suasi e fo th ee easo s. Fi st, AP‘Ns a e ot a epta le edi al sou es. “o ial “e u it ‘uli g ““‘ p, WL , at * . [O] l a epta le edi al sou es a e o side ed t eati g sou es … hose edi al opi io s a e e titled to o t olli g eight. Id. iti g C.F.‘. § to gi e pa ti ula l good easo s, as o te plated . . Additio all , a ALJ is ot e ui ed “e tio . , fo the eight assig ed to a o a epta le edi al sou e. “e o d, i o pleti g the Atte di g Ph si ia ‘est i tio s fo AP‘N Keh e o l i led p e p epa ed espo ses a d left la k the po tio of the fo ide tif the diag oses upo hi h he p e ised his espo ses. A‘ at little eight to a t eati g [sou e s] he k off fo , that asked hi to . A ALJ a p ope l gi e of fu tio al li itatio s that did ot ite li i al test esults, o se atio s, o othe o je ti e fi di gs. Ellars v. Comm'r, F. App' , th Ci . i te al uotatio eli i ated . Thi d, a ALJ eighs opi io s f o AP‘Ns ased o the follo i g fa to s: • Ho lo g the sou e has k o a d ho f e ue tl the sou e has see the i di idual; • Ho o siste t the opi io is ith othe e ide e; • The deg ee to hi h the sou e p ese ts ele a t e ide e to suppo t a opi io ; • Ho ell the sou e e plai s the opi io ; • Whethe the sou e has a spe ialt o a ea of e pe tise elated to the i di idual's i pai e t s ; • A othe fa to s that te d to suppo t o efute the opi io . Id. at * . Plai tiff has ot alleged o sho that the ALJ a used he dis etio i eighi g these fa to s o that a p ope o side atio of the e ui ed the ALJ to gi e o e tha a little eight to AP‘N Keh e s opi io . While e e t ha ges to the egulatio s o ha ges a e e p essl ot et oa ti e. See edi al sou e ho is a[ ] ... [AP‘N] ... fo i espe t to lai s filed ... o o afte Ma h i lude AP‘Ns a o g the list of a epta le edi al sou es, the C.F.‘. § . a A epta le edi al sou e ea s a pai e ts ithi his o he li e sed s ope of p a ti e ... o l ith , . . Plai tiff filed his lai i . A‘ at . Plai tiff’s se o d argu e t is u persuasi e. Plai tiff s se o d a gu e t is that the ALJ e ed i gi i g [ ]o sig ifi a t eight to D . Ki g s opi io a d g eat eight to D . Gue e o s opi io . A‘ at ; Do ket # at . The a gu e t is u pe suasi e fo th ee easo s. Fi st, e ause D . Ki g as a o e ti e e a i i g as opposed to a t eati g sou e, he opi io as ot e titled to o t olli g eight, a d the ALJ as ot e ui ed to gi e pa ti ula l good easo s fo the eight assig ed to he opi io . See C.F.‘. § . . “e o d, hile [g]e e all , e gi e o e eight to the edi al opi io of a sou e ho has e a i ed ou tha to the . edi al opi io of a edi al sou e ho has ot e a i ed ou, C.F.‘. § ; a ALJ a p efe the o e a i i g sou e opi io if it p o ides o e detailed a d o p ehe si e i fo if it is atio tha hat as a aila le to the i di idual s t eati g o e a i i g sou e o o e o siste t ... ith the e o d as a hole. Brooks v. Comm'r, F. App' , th Ci . . D . Gue e o s opi io took i to a ou t D . Ki g s fi di gs, a d the ALJ fou d that D . Ki g s opi io as ot easo a l o siste t ith the lai a t s ps hologi al t eat e t histo si e the a e ded alleged o set date. A‘ at . Thi d, the ele a t fa to s fo eighi g o t eati g edi al sou e opi io s a e: suppo ta ilit , o siste . . Plai tiff has ot alleged o sho , spe ializatio , a d othe fa to s. C.F.‘. § that the ALJ a used he dis etio i eighi g these “e tio . states, i pe ti e t pa t: If e fi d that a t eati g sou e's edi al opi io o the issue s of the atu e a d se e it of ou i pai e t s is 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, e ill gi e it o t olli g eight. Whe e do ot gi e the t eati g sou e's edi al opi io o t olli g eight, e appl the fa to s listed i pa ag aphs i a d ii of this se tio , as ell as the fa to s i pa ag aphs th ough of this se tio i dete i i g the eight to gi e the edi al opi io . We ill al a s gi e good easo s i ou oti e of dete i atio o de isio fo the eight e gi e ou t eati g sou e's edi al opi io . The ALJ appa e tl is alludi g to D . Ki g s taki g i to a ou t Plai tiff s histo of self i ju a d ps hiat i hospitalizatio p io to his alleged o set of disa ilit i du i g a pe iod of ti e i hi h he suffe ed f o addi tio s that he su se ue tl o e a e . A‘ at . “e tio . p o ides that the ALJ should o side the a ou t of u de sta di g of ou disa ilit p og a s a d thei e ide tia e ui e e ts that a edi al sou e has, a d “e tio . a p o ides that o e a i i g p og a ps hologi al o sulta ts [su h as D . Gue e o] a e highl ualified a d e pe ts i “o ial “e u it disa ilit e aluatio . fa to s o that su sta tial e ide e e ui ed the ALJ to fi d a o atio all sig ifi a t li itatio i additio to those stated i he ‘FC fi di g. Plai tiff’s third argu e t is u persuasi e. Plai tiff s thi d a d fi al a gu e t is that the ALJ e ed i e aluati g the i pa t of his su je ti e s pto s ph si al pai , ps hologi al s Do ket # at pto s, a d thei i te elatio ships o his a ilit to o k. . I pa ti ula , Plai tiff o je ts to the ALJ s fi di g that his o ditio is ot disa li g, i pa t, e ause the lai a t has et to e ui e eu osu ge , he does ot appea to ha e e e a tuall ee p es i ed the use of a a e, a d he appea s to ha e espo ded fai l ell to i je tio the ap , e ei i g pai elief f o his i je tio s at the O thopaedi I stitute. Do ket # at uoti g A‘ at . I e aluati g the i pa t of su je ti e s pto s o a ilit to o k, a ALJ o side s the follo i g fa to s: dail a ti ities; the lo atio , du atio , f e ue , a d i te sit of pai o othe s pto s; p e ipitati g a d agg a ati g fa to s; the t pe, dosage, effe ti e ess, a d side effe ts of edi atio to alle iate pai o othe s s pto s; othe t pes of t eat e ts; othe easu es used to elie e pai o othe pto s; a d othe fa to s o e i g fu tio al li itatio s o est i tio s. . i ii . The ALJ applied these fa to s at A‘ C.F.‘. § . Plai tiff s a gu e t is u pe suasi e fo t o easo s. Fi st, i li iti g Plai tiff to sede ta o k, the ALJ sig ifi a tl edited his testi o a d allegatio s of pai affe ti g his a ilit to sta d/ alk fo p olo ged pe iods of ti e. Needi g eu osu ge , a a e, a d i je tio the ap does ot e essa il p e lude sede ta o k. “e o d, Plai tiff has ot alleged o sho that the ALJ a used he dis etio Fo si ila easo s, the dispute et ee Plai tiff a d the Co issio e i thei fa t a d la su a ies ega di g Plai tiff s s oki g is ot of ase dispositi e sig ifi a e. Plai tiff a uses the ALJ of si pl ot e a i [i g] the e o d i detail e ause the ALJ held the fa t that he has ot had eu osu ge agai st his edi ilit . Do ket # at . Yet the [o] thopedi su geo a ts hi to uit s oki g efo e the ill app o e su ge , a d he is i the p o ess of tit at[i g] off of iga ettes. Id. at , . The Co issio e ou te s that Plai tiff s a usatio e ide es Plai tiff s o appa e t u fa ilia it ith the e o d e ause the s oki g/ eu osu ge o e tio is just so ethi g Plai tiff e tio ed to his e tal health p o ide , a d the e is o i di atio that a eu osu geo a tuall e o e ded su ge . Do ket # at . i eighi g the ele a t fa to s oted a o e o that su sta tial e ide e e ui ed the ALJ to fi d a o atio all sig ifi a t li itatio i additio to those stated i he ‘FC fi di g. ORDER Be ause the Ad i ist ati e La Judge s de isio is suppo ted a o d ith appli a le legal sta da ds, the Co issio e s fi al de isio is he e AFFI‘MED a d Plai tiff s o plai t is DI“MI““ED. su sta tial e ide e a d is i October 30, 2019
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