Adkins v. Commissioner of Social Security

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 27, 2023
Docket2:21-cv-00718
StatusUnknown

This text of Adkins v. Commissioner of Social Security (Adkins v. Commissioner of Social Security) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adkins v. Commissioner of Social Security, (M.D. Fla. 2023).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA FORT MYERS DIVISION

JEFFREY STEVEN ADKINS,

Plaintiff,

v. Case No. 2:21-cv-718-MAP

COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY

Defendant. /

ORDER

Plaintiff seeks judicial review of the denial of his claim for disability insurance benefits (DIB).1 Plaintiff argues that the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) committed reversible error by failing to properly consider both his physical and mental subjective complaints. As the ALJ’s decision was not based on substantial evidence and failed to employ proper legal standards as to Plaintiff’s physical impairments and limitations, the Commissioner’s decision is reversed and remanded. I. Background

Plaintiff, who was born in 1961, claimed disability beginning October 1, 2019 (Tr. 240). He was 57 years old on the alleged onset date. Plaintiff obtained less than a high school education, and his past relevant work experience included work as a purchasing manager (Tr. 86-88, 303). Plaintiff alleged disability due to back pain, a

1 The parties have consented to my jurisdiction. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). hernia, neck fusion, a rotator cuff issue, sciatic pain, tears in his right knee, scoliosis, and arthritis in his right hand (Tr. 302). Given his alleged disability, Plaintiff filed an application for DIB (Tr. 238-46).

The Social Security Administration (SSA) denied Plaintiff’s claims both initially and upon reconsideration (Tr. 114-48, 155-81). Plaintiff then requested an administrative hearing (Tr. 182-83). Per Plaintiff’s request, the ALJ held a hearing at which Plaintiff appeared and testified (Tr. 41-94). Following the hearing, the ALJ issued an unfavorable decision finding Plaintiff not disabled and accordingly denied Plaintiff’s

claims for benefits (Tr. 22-40). In rendering the administrative decision, the ALJ concluded that Plaintiff met the insured status requirements through December 31, 2024, and had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since October 1, 2019, the alleged onset date (Tr. 28). After conducting a hearing and reviewing the evidence of record, the ALJ determined that

Plaintiff had the following severe impairments: lumbar degenerative disc disease with low back pain with muscle spasms and cervicalgia (Tr. 28). Notwithstanding the noted impairments, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff did not have an impairment or combination of impairments that met or medically equaled one of the listed impairments in 20 C.F.R. Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 (Tr. 30). The ALJ then

concluded that Plaintiff retained a residual functional capacity (RFC) to perform light work, except that Plaintiff could lift and/or carry 20 pounds occasionally and 10 pounds frequently; stand and/or walk six hours in an eight-hour workday; sit six hours in an eight-hour workday; occasionally climb ladders, scaffolds, ramps, and stairs; frequently balance; occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl; frequently reach in all directions with his right arm; no grasping or manipulative limitations; and no mental health limitations (Tr. 30). In formulating Plaintiff’s RFC, the ALJ considered

Plaintiff’s subjective complaints and determined that, although the evidence established the presence of underlying impairments that reasonably could be expected to produce the symptoms alleged, Plaintiff’s statements as to the intensity, persistence, and limiting effects of his symptoms were not entirely consistent with the medical evidence and other evidence (Tr. 31).

Considering Plaintiff’s noted impairments and the assessment of a vocational expert (VE), however, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff could perform his past relevant work as a purchasing manager (Tr. 34, 86-92). Accordingly, based on Plaintiff’s age, education, work experience, RFC, and the testimony of the VE, the ALJ found Plaintiff not disabled (Tr. 34). Given the ALJ’s finding, Plaintiff requested

review from the Appeals Council, which the Appeals Council denied (Tr. 11-16, 232- 37). Plaintiff then timely filed a complaint with this Court (Doc. 1). The case is now ripe for review under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). II. Standard of Review To be entitled to benefits, a claimant must be disabled, meaning the claimant

must be unable “to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months.” 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(1)(A). A “physical or mental impairment” is an “impairment that results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities, which are demonstrable by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques.” 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(3).

To regularize the adjudicative process, the SSA promulgated the detailed regulations currently in effect. These regulations establish a “sequential evaluation process” to determine whether a claimant is disabled. 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520. If an individual is found disabled at any point in the sequential review, further inquiry is unnecessary. 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a). Under this process, the ALJ must determine,

in sequence, the following: whether the claimant is currently engaged in substantial gainful activity; whether the claimant has a severe impairment, i.e., one that significantly limits the ability to perform work-related functions; whether the severe impairment meets or equals the medical criteria of 20 C.F.R. Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1; and whether the claimant can perform his or her past relevant work. 20

C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4). If the claimant cannot perform the tasks required of his or her prior work, step five of the evaluation requires the ALJ to decide if the claimant can do other work in the national economy in view of his or her age, education, and work experience. 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(v). A claimant is entitled to benefits only if unable to perform other work. Bowen v. Yuckert, 482 U.S. 137, 140-42 (1987); 20

C.F.R. § 404.1520(g)(1). A determination by the Commissioner that a claimant is not disabled must be upheld if it is supported by substantial evidence and comports with applicable legal standards. See 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). “Substantial evidence is more than a scintilla and is such relevant evidence as a reasonable person would accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Winschel v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 631 F.3d 1176, 1178 (11th Cir. 2011) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). While the court reviews the

Commissioner’s decision with deference to the factual findings, no such deference is given to the legal conclusions. Ingram v. Comm’r of Soc.

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Adkins v. Commissioner of Social Security, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/adkins-v-commissioner-of-social-security-flmd-2023.