Baeza v. Saul

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedOctober 28, 2021
Docket3:19-cv-50009
StatusUnknown

This text of Baeza v. Saul (Baeza v. Saul) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baeza v. Saul, (N.D. Ill. 2021).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS WESTERN DIVISION

Maurice B., ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) Case No.: 19-cv-50009 v. ) ) Magistrate Judge Margaret J. Schneider Kilolo Kijakazi, ) Commissioner of Social Security, 1 ) ) Defendant. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Plaintiff Maurice B. appeals a denial of disability insurance benefits. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment [11] is denied and the Commissioner’s motion for summary judgment [17] is granted.

BACKGROUND

A. Procedural History

On April 6, 2016, Plaintiff Maurice B. (“Plaintiff”) filed an application for Social Security disability insurance benefits and an application for supplemental security income under Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act. R. 15. He alleged a disability beginning on January 31, 2016 and his date of last insured is September 30, 2017. R. 17. The Social Security Administration (“Commissioner”) denied his applications initially on June 15, 2016 and upon reconsideration on September 20, 2016. R. 66-83, 86-111. Plaintiff filed a written request for a hearing on October 20, 2016. R. 142-43. On November 1, 2017, a hearing was held via videoconference by Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) Lana Johnson where Plaintiff appeared and testified. R. 31- 61. Plaintiff was represented by counsel. An impartial vocational expert also appeared and testified. Id.

On February 20, 2018, the ALJ issued her written opinion denying Plaintiff’s claims for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income. R. 15-26. Plaintiff appealed the decision to the Appeals Council, and the Appeals Council denied Plaintiff’s request for review. R. 1-8. Plaintiff now seeks judicial review of the ALJ’s decision, which stands as the final decision of the Commissioner. See 42 U.S.C. § 405(g); Schmidt v. Astrue, 496 F.3d 833, 841 (7th Cir. 2007). The parties have consented to the jurisdiction of this Court. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(c); docket entry [9]. Now before the Court are Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment [11] and the Commissioner’s cross-motion for summary judgment and response to Plaintiff’s motion for

1 Kilolo Kijakazi has been substituted for former Commissioner of Social Security Andrew Saul. Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(d). summary judgment [17].

B. Medical Background2

On February 6, 2016, Plaintiff suffered several injuries as a result of a moped accident. R. 291-96. He reported decreased range of motion, pain and tenderness in his right shoulder, knee, and ankle. Emergency department X-rays of Plaintiff’s right knee revealed a lateral tibial plateau fracture. Id. Plaintiff was also diagnosed with a shoulder contusion, rib contusion and was given a knee immobilizer, crutches, and pain medication. Id. Four days later, Plaintiff followed up with a physician’s assistant at OrthoIllinois for right shoulder pain he attributed to the moped accident. R. 359-62. At that time, X-rays of the shoulder noted AC joint space mildly narrowed with small inferior osteophytes and a question of a possible fracture. R. 360. Plaintiff also exhibited a reduced range of motion in his right shoulder, tenderness in his right shoulder, and 4/5 strength in his triceps. Id. The physician’s assistant ordered an MRI on Plaintiff’s right shoulder and provided Plaintiff with a sling. R. 361. On the same day, Plaintiff saw Dr. Jeffrey Earhart at OrthoIllinois for his right knee pain. R. 356-58. Swelling of the right knee was observed and Plaintiff complained of moderate pain. R. 356. Plaintiff was diagnosed with an unspecified fracture of his right tibia and was treated with a knee hinged brace and told to follow up in three weeks. R. 357. On March 2, 2016, Plaintiff underwent an MRI on his right shoulder. Plaintiff’s PA noted in his report that while a fracture of the right shoulder was suspected, the MRI confirmed no fracture. R. 362. On March 8, 2016, Plaintiff was seen at OrthoIllinois for a follow up appointment to discuss the results of the MRI. The MRI, as analyzed by the radiologist, noted a SLAP type 2B tear associated with mild glenohumeral arthropathy. R. 344-47. At that visit, Plaintiff received a right shoulder joint injection. R. 346.

On March 8, 2016, Plaintiff saw PA Joseph Steiner for pain in his right shoulder. He had reduced range of motion in his cervical spine and shoulder, with 4/5 strength with external rotation in his subscapularis and 5/5 strength in his deltoid and supraspinatus muscles. R. 344-47. PA Steiner ordered an MRI of Plaintiff’s cervical spine and gave him an injection in the right shoulder joint. R. 346. On April 5, 2016, Plaintiff followed up with a P.A. at OrthoIllinois. R. 338. He reported his right shoulder symptoms had improved since the injection. Id. Plaintiff was told his March 2016 MRI was consistent with cervical radiculopathy, disc herniations at C5-6 and C6-7 contributing to moderate to severe central canal and recess impingement and foraminal narrowing. R. 339-40. He was referred to Dr. Brain Braaksma, an orthopedic specialist. On April 8, 2016, Dr. Braaksma’s PA (Mike McCormick) examined Plaintiff. R. 334-37. On May 26, 2016, Dr. Braaksma performed a fusion surgery on Plaintiff at C5-6 and C6-7. R. 501-503. At his 11-day post-op follow up appointment, Plaintiff was advised to continue wearing the C-collar and avoid lifting more than 10 pounds until he was 8 weeks post-surgery. R. 495-97.

At his July 2016 follow up appointment with PA McCormick, Plaintiff stated his pain continued at a 4/10 at rest or with activity. R. 564-66. He had a reduced range of motion in his neck and was tender to palpation of the paraspinal muscles in the cervical spine. R. 564-65. He had full strength in his upper extremities and X-rays showed his hardware intact. Id. Dr. Braaksma referred Plaintiff to physical therapy and to continue with pain medication. R. 565. On July 22,

2 The Court summarizes Plaintiff’s medical history that is relevant to this appeal. This section does not represent Plaintiff’s entire medical history. 2016, Plaintiff followed up with Dr. Earhart for his right knee pain. R. 567-69. Plaintiff reported that his pain had increased and while he was able to bear weight on his knee, it would give out on him. R. 567. Dr. Earhard gave Plaintiff a cortisone injection in his right knee and pain medication. R. 568. On August 29, 2016, Plaintiff retuned to Dr. Braaksma reporting of pain of 7/10, but controlled with use of Aleve. He was instructed to continue with physical therapy. R. 561-63.

In October 2016, Plaintiff followed up with a re-check of his right knee. R. 555-57. He complained of swelling after walking and giving out as he walked down stairs. R. 555. At a November 2016 follow up appointment with Dr. Sean MacKenzie, Plaintiff had mild crepitations in this patellofemoral joint. R. 550-52. He displayed full range of motion upon extension and flexion. Id. In December 2016, Plaintiff began physical therapy for his right knee. R. 584-85.

Appointments with his primary care physician in 2017 reflected that Plaintiff managed his symptoms with over-the-counter pain medications but these medications did not resolve his pain. R. 667-709. In April 2017, Plaintiff’s right knee was injured by a chainsaw. R. 678-86. Reduced range of motion and tenderness in the right knee was noted after the injury. R. 678. On May 31, 2017, Plaintiff was seen by a CRNA regarding his neck pain. R. 675-77.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Richardson v. Perales
402 U.S. 389 (Supreme Court, 1971)
Arnett v. Astrue
676 F.3d 586 (Seventh Circuit, 2012)
Denton v. Astrue
596 F.3d 419 (Seventh Circuit, 2010)
Schmidt v. Astrue
496 F.3d 833 (Seventh Circuit, 2007)
Elder v. Astrue
529 F.3d 408 (Seventh Circuit, 2008)
Mildred Thomas v. Carolyn Colvin
745 F.3d 802 (Seventh Circuit, 2014)
Jennifer Moore v. Carolyn Colvin
743 F.3d 1118 (Seventh Circuit, 2014)
Willie Curvin v. Carolyn Colvin
778 F.3d 645 (Seventh Circuit, 2015)
Rebecca Akin v. Nancy Berryhill
887 F.3d 314 (Seventh Circuit, 2018)
Biestek v. Berryhill
587 U.S. 97 (Supreme Court, 2019)
Michael Reinaas v. Andrew M. Saul
953 F.3d 461 (Seventh Circuit, 2020)
Michelle Jeske v. Andrew M. Saul
955 F.3d 583 (Seventh Circuit, 2020)
Alice Gedatus v. Andrew Saul
994 F.3d 893 (Seventh Circuit, 2021)
Schloesser v. Berryhill
870 F.3d 712 (Seventh Circuit, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Baeza v. Saul, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baeza-v-saul-ilnd-2021.