Briggs v. Andrew M. Saul

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedJuly 9, 2020
Docket4:19-cv-05207
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Briggs v. Andrew M. Saul, (E.D. Wash. 2020).

Opinion

1 FILED IN THE 2 EASTERU N. S D. I SD TI RS IT CR TI C OT F C WO AU SR HT I NGTON Jul 09, 2020 3

SEAN F. MCAVOY, CLERK 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 EASTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 6

7 ANITA B., No. 4:19-CV-5207-RMP

8 Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING IN PART PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR 9 v. SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND REMANDING FOR ADDITIONAL 10 ANDREW M. SAUL, PROCEEDINGS COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL 11 SECURITY,

12 Defendant.

13 14 BEFORE THE COURT, without oral argument, are cross-motions for 15 summary judgment from Plaintiff Anita B.1, ECF No. 14, and the Commissioner of 16 Social Security (“Commissioner”), ECF No. 15. Plaintiff seeks judicial review, 17 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), of the Commissioner’s denial of her claim for 18 disability insurance benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act (the “Act”). See 19

20 1 In the interest of protecting Plaintiff’s privacy, the Court will use Plaintiff’s first name and last initial. 21 1 ECF No. 14 at 1. Having reviewed the parties’ motions and the administrative 2 record, the Court is fully informed. The Court grants in part Plaintiff’s motion,

3 denies the Commissioner’s motion, and remands the matter to the agency for further 4 proceedings. 5 BACKGROUND

6 Plaintiff was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2008. AR 310. She 7 continued working until July 2016. AR 64. Shortly after stopping work, she 8 underwent trigger finger release surgery on three fingers on her left hand. AR 339- 9 40. She reported some improvement in her hand following surgery, but continued to

10 report some pain across her palm. AR 408, 610. Over the following two years she 11 received treatment for epicondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, knee pain, and foot pain. 12 AR 502, 507, 566-68, 574, 588, 597, 604-06, 671, 676.

13 On October 26, 2016, Plaintiff filed an application for Title II disability 14 benefits, alleging disability based on rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, carpal 15 tunnel syndrome, bursitis, tennis elbow, tendinitis, trigger fingers, Baker’s cysts, and 16 bone spurs. AR 76-77. The claim was denied initially and upon reconsideration. AR

17 102-04, 110-12. Plaintiff subsequently had a hearing before ALJ R.J. Payne, and on 18 August 10, 2018, the ALJ denied Plaintiff’s claim. AR 15-25. Plaintiff requested and 19 was denied review by the Appeals Council, leaving the ALJ’s decision as the final

20 21 1 decision of the Commissioner. AR 1-5. Plaintiff now seeks judicial review of the 2 Social Security Administration’s disability determination.

3 ALJ’s Decision 4 On August 10, 2018, the ALJ issued an unfavorable decision. AR 15-25. 5 Applying the five-step evaluation process, Judge Payne found:

6 Step one: Plaintiff had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since 7 July 22, 2016, the alleged onset date. AR 17. 8 Step two: Plaintiff had the following severe impairments that were 9 medically determinable and significantly limited her ability to perform

10 basic work activities: obesity, diabetes mellitus type-II, rheumatoid 11 arthritis, left hand trigger fingers, metatarsalgia, degenerative joint 12 disease of the left knee. Id. The ALJ found that Plaintiff’s epicondylitis,

13 sacroiliac joint dysfunction, historical carpal tunnel syndrome, and 14 thoracic spine impairment were mild or had resolved within a 12-month 15 period and therefore were non-severe. AR 19. 16 Step three: The ALJ concluded that Plaintiff’s impairments,

17 considered singly and in combination, did not meet or medically equal 18 the severity of one of the listed impairments in 20 CFR Part 404, 19 Subpart P, Appendix 1 (20 C.F.R. 404.1520(d), 404.1525 and

20 404.1526). Id. 21 1 Residual Functional Capacity (“RFC”): The ALJ found that Plaintiff 2 had the RFC to:

3 perform sedentary work as defined in 20 CFR 404.1567(a). The claimant can lift or carry up to five pounds at a time frequently 4 and lift no more than ten pounds at a time occasionally. At a time [sic], the claimant has no limitation sitting and can stand 30 5 minutes and walk 30 minutes. In an eight-hour workday with normal breaks, the claimant has no limitations sitting and can 6 stand and walk 2 hours total. The claimant can occasionally push/pull leg-foot controls within the weight limitations given. 7 The claimant can frequently crouch and kneel. She can occasionally crawl. The claimant can occasionally climb ramps 8 and stairs, but can never climb ladders or scaffolds. The claimant must avoid concentrated exposure to heavy industrial-type 9 vibration and extreme cold. The claimant is precluded from working at unprotected heights. The claimant can frequently 10 handle and finger bilaterally.

11 AR 19. 12 In determining Plaintiff’s RFC, the ALJ found that her statements concerning 13 the intensity, persistence and limiting effects of her alleged symptoms “are not 14 entirely consistent with the medical evidence and other evidence in the record.” AR 15 20. 16 Step four: The ALJ found that Plaintiff was capable of performing her 17 past relevant work as an administrative clerk and as a bookkeeper. AR 18 22-23. 19 Step five: The ALJ alternatively found there were jobs that existed in 20 the national economy that Plaintiff could perform considering her age, 21 1 education, work experience, and RFC. AR 23. The ALJ thus found 2 Plaintiff had not been disabled within the meaning of the Social

3 Security Act at any time since the alleged onset date of July 22, 2016. 4 Tr. 25. 5 LEGAL STANDARD

6 A. Standard of Review 7 Congress has provided a limited scope of judicial review of a Commissioner’s 8 decision. 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). A court may set aside the Commissioner’s denial of 9 benefits only if the ALJ’s determination was based on legal error or not supported by

10 substantial evidence. See Jones v. Heckler, 760 F.2d 993, 995 (9th Cir. 1985) (citing 11 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)). “The [Commissioner’s] determination that a claimant is not 12 disabled will be upheld if the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence.”

13 Delgado v. Heckler, 722 F.2d 570, 572 (9th Cir. 1983) (citing 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)). 14 Substantial evidence is more than a mere scintilla, but less than a preponderance. 15 Sorenson v. Weinberger, 514 F.2d 1112, 1119 n.10 (9th Cir. 1975); McCallister v. 16 Sullivan, 888 F.2d 599, 601–02 (9th Cir. 1989). Substantial evidence “means such

17 evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” 18 Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 401 (1971) (citations omitted). “[S]uch 19 inferences and conclusions as the [Commissioner] may reasonably draw from the

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)
Bowen v. Yuckert
482 U.S. 137 (Supreme Court, 1987)
Molina v. Astrue
674 F.3d 1104 (Ninth Circuit, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Briggs v. Andrew M. Saul, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/briggs-v-andrew-m-saul-waed-2020.