Hayes v. Commissioner of Social Security, No. 5:2018cv00195 - Document 23 (W.D. Ky. 2019)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Lanny King on 10/31/2019. A separate judgment shall enter.cc:counsel (KJA)
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Hayes v. Commissioner of Social Security Doc. 23 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY PADUCAH DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. : CV LLK MISTY MICHELLE HAYES PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT v. 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 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 # Plai tiff i pai a d . The pa ties i e this ase, ith a . akes t o a gu e ts. Fi st, she a gues that she is disa led e ause he e ts satisf Listi gs . , . , . a d/o . . Do ket # at e tal . “e o d, she a gues that she is disa led e ause, if e plo ed, he ig ai e heada hes ould esult i a u a epta le ate of a se teeis f o the jo a d he e tal i pai e ts ould esult i a u a epta le ate of a se teeis f o the jo site i.e., f e ue t, u s heduled eaks . Id. at . Be ause Plai tiff’s a gu e ts a e ot pe suasi e a d the Ad i ist ati e La Judge’s ALJ’s de isio is suppo ted su sta tial e ide e, this Cou t ill AFFIRM the Co issio e ’s fi al de isio a d DI“MI““ Plai tiff’s o plai t. The ALJ’s fi di gs regardi g Plai tiff’s e tal i pair e ts The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff suffe s f o the follo i g se e e, o o atio all sig ifi a t, e tal i pai e ts: post t au ati st ess diso de PT“D , ood a d a iet diso de s, atte tio defi it h pe a ti it diso de ADHD , pol su sta e depe de e, a d a tiso ial pe so alit diso de . Ad i ist ati e Re o d AR at . Dockets.Justia.com I Ma , 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 fou d, a o g othe thi gs, that Plai tiff’s e tal i pai esult i e ts a ked li itatio s i t o fu tio al a eas, i.e., Plai tiff’s a ilities to tole ate st ess a d p essu e of da to da e plo setti g. AR at e t a d to espo d app op iatel to supe iso s a d o o ke s i a o k . , i light of D . Ki g’s fi di gs a d the e o d as a hole, the Co I O to e issio e ’s o e a i i g p og a ps hologist Ed Ross, Ph.D., o pleti g the sta da d Me tal Residual Fu tio al Capa it Assess e t fo . AR at . D . Ross fou d that Plai tiff is ot sig ifi a tl li ited o ode atel li ited i e e a ea e ept that she has a app op iatel ith the ge e al pu li . AR at a ked li itatio i he a ilit to i te a t . The ALJ ga e sig ifi a t eight to D . Ross’ fi di gs a d so e eight to D . Ki g’s fi di gs. AR at . I this ega d, the ALJ oted that D . Ki g fou d that Plai tiff’s p og osis is good if she pa ti ipates i e tal health t eat e t a d that D . Ki g autio ed that so e test esults should e i te p eted ith autio e ause Plai tiff a ha e ee atte pti g to po t a he self as o e i pai ed tha she a tuall is. AR at efe e i g AR at , . Su sta tial evide e supports the ALJ’s fi di g that Plai tiff’s e tal i pair e ts do ot satisfy Listi gs . , . , . a d/or . . Plai tiff’s fi st a gu e t is that she is disa led e ause he e tal i pai e ts satisf the li i al ite ia of Listi gs a d/o . . eu o og iti e diso de s , . dep essi e, ipola a d elated diso de s a iet a d o sessi e o pulsi e diso de s of Appe di of the egulatio s the so alled Listi g of edi al i pai e ts . Do ket # at . Additio all , Plai tiff a gues that the ALJ e ed i D . Ross spe ifi all o side ed D . Ki g’s fi di gs a d ga e little eight to D . Ki g’s fi di gs of t o a ked li itatio s. AR at . I Ap il , ps hologist Tho as Muehle a , Ph.D., e a i ed Plai tiff i o e tio ith a p io appli atio fo e efits. AR at . The ALJ ga e D . Muehle a ’s opi io s o eight e ause the e e gi e p io to the u e t appli atio fo e efits a d the u de sig ed has ot eope ed the p io appli atio . AR at . faili g to o side hethe he e tal i pai e ts satisf Listi g . t au a a d st esso elated diso de s . I keepi g ith the positio s of the pa ties, the Cou t ill fo us o the issue of hethe Plai tiff’s e tal i pai . e ts satisf the so alled pa ag aph B ite ia of Listi gs . , . , . a d . The pa ag aph B ite ia of the Listi gs a e ide ti al. The pa ag aph B ite ia a e satisfied if Plai tiff p o es she has e t e e li itatio of o e, o a ked li itatio of t o, of the follo i g a eas of e tal fu tio i g : . 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 . , Regulatio s, Appe di . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff is ode atel li ited i all fou a eas. AR at . Plai tiff’s a gu e t is u pe suasi e e ause Plai tiff has ot sho g eate eight to D . Ross’ fi di gs tha to D . Ki g’s fi di gs. AR at that the ALJ e ed i gi i g . The fo D . Ross o pleted as di ided i to fou oad atego ies of e tal fu tio i g, hi h o espo d to the pa ag aph B ite ia of the Listi gs. AR at . Ea h oad atego as fu the di ided i to su atego ies. D . Ross fou d that Plai tiff has o l o e a ked li itatio i the su atego of he a ilit to i te a t app op iatel ith the ge e al pu li . AR at fi di g that Plai tiff’s e tal i pai . The efo e, su sta tial e ide e suppo ts the ALJ’s e ts do ot satisf the pa ag aph B ite ia of the Listi gs e ui e a fi di g of o e e t e e o t o hi h a ked li itatio s if su sta tial e ide e suppo ts the ALJ’s de isio to p efe D . Ross’ fi di gs to D . Ki g’s fi di gs. I othe o ds, the Cou t ill assu e fo the sake of a gu e t that the othe o pa ag aph B ite ia of the Listi gs a e satisfied. “u sta tial e ide e suppo ts the ALJ’s de isio to p efe D . Ross’ fi di gs 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 D . Ki g’s opi io . See C.F.R. § . “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.R. § . ; 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 a aila le to the i di idual’s t eati g o e a i i g sou e o if it is a hole. Brooks v. Co 'r of Soc. Sec., F. App' , atio tha hat as o e o siste t ... ith the e o d as th Ci . . As i di ated a o e, the ALJ oted that D . Ki g fou d that Plai tiff’s p og osis is good if she pa ti ipates i e tal health t eat e t a d that D . Ki g autio ed that so e test esults should e i te p eted ith autio e ause Plai tiff a ha e ee atte pti g to po t a he self as o e i pai ed tha she a tuall is. AR at efe e i g AR at , . Additio all , D . Ross’ opi io e pli itl took i to a ou t D . Ki g’s fi di gs a d the e o d as a hole AR at e ie ed the e ide e of e o d. AR at , a d the ALJ fou d that D . Ross had ost e e tl . 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.R. § that the ALJ a used he dis etio i eighi g these fa to s o that su sta tial e ide e e ui ed the ALJ to p efe D . Ki g’s fi di gs to D . Ross’ fi di gs. “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 . “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 . Ross] a e highl ualified a d e pe ts i “o ial “e u it disa ilit e aluatio . While su sta tial e ide e ould ha e suppo ted a diffe e t eighi g of these fa to s, the ALJ’s eighi g as suppo ted su sta tial e ide e. The efo e, Plai tiff’s fi st a gu e t is u pe suasi e. See Blakley v. Co ’r, F. d , th Ci . 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. . Su sta tial evide e supports the ALJ’s i pli it fi di g that Plai tiff’s igrai e heada hes a d e tal i pair e ts do ot re der her u e ploya le. Plai tiff’s se o d a d fi al a gu e t is that she is disa led e ause, if e plo ed, he ig ai e heada hes ould esult i a u a epta le ate of a se teeis f o the jo a d he e tal i pai e ts ould esult i a u a epta le ate of a se teeis f o the jo site i.e., f e ue t, u s heduled eaks . Do ket # at . The o atio al e pe t VE testified that la ge e plo e s ge e all tole ate o o e tha fou da s pe ua te of a se es f o the jo a d o f e ue t, u s heduled eaks a a f o the jo site. AR at . Plai tiff takes I it e fo he ig ai e heada hes. AR at fi di g that he ig ai e heada hes a d e tal i pai . No edi al opi io suppo ts a e ts ould esult i a disa li g deg ee of a se teeis . The ALJ fou d that Plai tiff as p es i ed edi atio to t eat he ig ai e heada hes a d that t eat e t otes sho he ot to ha e a e e t o plai ts of ig ai e heada hes. AR at . The efo e, the ALJ i pli itl fou d that, ith p ope t eat e t a d oti atio , Plai tiff’s heada hes ould ot e essitate o e tha fou a se es pe ua te a d he e tal i pai ig ai e e ts ould ot e essitate f e ue t, u s heduled eaks. Plai tiff’s u e t pa t ti e e plo e , Bo Tu e , testified that Plai tiff is a i e pe so ut is easil dist a ted, i te a ts ell ith o l a fe people, does ot espo d ell to supe isio , a d ould e ui e spe ial a o odatio f o a e plo e . AR at , . Although she istake l efe ed to M . Tu e as Bo Hu te , the ALJ o side ed M . Tu e ’s testi o . AR at . Ge e all , the testi o of la it esses [like M . Tu e ] is e titled to pe epti le eight o l if it is full suppo ted the epo ts of the t eati g ph si ia s. Si o s v. Co ’r, F. App’ , th Ci . iti g Lashley v. Sec’y of Health & Hu a Servs., F. d , th Ci . . I e aluati g the i te sit a d pe siste e of a lai a t's allegatio s of pai a d othe su je ti e s pto s, a ALJ o side s the fa to s listed at C.F.R. § . i ii . While su sta tial e ide e ould ha e suppo ted a diffe e t eighi g of these fa to s, the ALJ’s eighi g as suppo ted su sta tial e ide e. The efo e, Plai tiff’s se o d a gu e t is u pe suasi e. See Blakley v. Co F. d , th Ci . ’r, 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. . ORDER Be ause Plai tiff’s a gu e ts a e ot pe suasi e a d the Ad i ist ati e La Judge’s ALJ’s de isio is suppo ted su sta tial e ide e, the Co issio e ’s fi al de isio is he e AFFIRMED a d Plai tiff’s o plai t is DI“MI““ED. October 31, 2019 The fa to s a e: i You dail a ti ities; ii The lo atio , du atio , f e ue , a d i te sit of ou pai o othe s pto s; iii P e ipitati g a d agg a ati g fa to s; i The t pe, dosage, effe ti e ess, a d side effe ts of a edi atio ou take o ha e take to alle iate ou pai o othe s pto s; T eat e t, othe tha edi atio , ou e ei e o ha e e ei ed fo elief of ou pai o othe s pto s; i A easu es ou use o ha e used to elie e ou pai o othe s pto s e.g., l i g flat o ou a k, sta di g fo to i utes e e hou , sleepi g o a oa d, et . ; a d ii Othe fa to s o e i g ou fu tio al li itatio s a d est i tio s due to pai o othe s pto s.
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