Cooper v. Kijakazi (CONSENT)

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedMarch 30, 2023
Docket1:22-cv-00108
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Cooper v. Kijakazi (CONSENT), (M.D. Ala. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA SOUTHERN DIVISION

CHARLIE COOPER, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) CASE NO. 1:22-CV-108-KFP ) KILOLO KIJAKAZI, ) Acting Commissioner of Social Security, ) ) Defendant. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), Plaintiff Charlie Cooper filed a Complaint seeking review of the Social Security Administration’s decision denying his application for supplemental security income. Doc. 1. The Court construes Plaintiff’s supporting brief (Doc. 15) as a motion for summary judgment and the Commissioner’s opposition brief (Doc. 16) as a motion for summary judgment. The parties have consented to the exercise of dispositive jurisdiction by a magistrate judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). Docs. 7, 8. After scrutiny of the record and the motions submitted by the parties, the Court finds that Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is due to be DENIED, the Commissioner’s motion for summary judgment is due to be GRANTED, and the decision of the Commissioner is due to be AFFIRMED. I. STANDARD OF REVIEW This Court’s role in reviewing claims brought under the Social Security Act is a narrow one. The scope is limited to determining whether substantial evidence in the record

as a whole supports the Commissioner’s decision and whether the correct legal standards were applied. Winschel v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 631 F.3d 1176, 1178 (11th Cir. 2011). Substantial evidence is more than a scintilla but less than a preponderance. Martin v. Sullivan, 894 F.2d 1520, 1529 (11th Cir. 1990). The Court may not reweigh evidence or substitute its judgment for that of the Commissioner, and, even if the evidence

preponderates against the Commissioner’s factual findings, the Court must affirm if the decision is supported by substantial evidence. Winschel, 631 F.3d at 1178; Bloodsworth v. Heckler, 703 F.2d 1233, 1239 (11th Cir. 1983). II. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Plaintiff was 51 years old when the Administrative Law Judge rendered a decision

finding him not disabled. R. 21–22. Plaintiff alleged disability due to high blood pressure, gout, pancreatitis, lower back pain, sleep apnea, and “special ed.” R. 218. His initial application was denied, and he requested a hearing before an ALJ. R. 76, 83–85. After a hearing, the ALJ issued a decision finding Plaintiff not disabled. R. 12, 22. The Appeals Council declined review, making the Commissioner’s final decision ripe for judicial

review. R. 1–3; see 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). III. THE ALJ’S DECISION The ALJ found that Plaintiff had severe impairments of hypertension, gout, and obesity but that he did not have an impairment or combination of impairments that met or medically equaled a listed impairment. R. 17. He then found that Plaintiff has the residual functional capacity to perform a full range of medium work. R. 18. The ALJ determined that Plaintiff could perform his past relevant work as a forklift

operator. R. 21. Considering Plaintiff’s age, education, work experience, and RFC, the ALJ also determined there were other jobs in the national economy that Plaintiff could perform, including a scrap sorter, kitchen helper, or a motor vehicle assembler. Id. The ALJ ultimately concluded that Plaintiff had not been under a disability from the alleged onset date, December 2, 2019, through the date of the ALJ’s decision, May 28, 2021. R. 22.

IV. DISCUSSION Plaintiff raises the following issues on appeal: (1) the RFC is not supported by substantial evidence, (2) the ALJ failed to pose complete hypothetical questions to the vocational expert, (3) the ALJ failed to fully and fairly develop the record by not ordering IQ testing, and (4) the ALJ erred in evaluating the listing.

A. Substantial evidence supports the RFC. The RFC restricted Plaintiff to a full range of medium work. R. 18. As the ALJ explained, medium work “involves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds, and it may require a good deal of walking or standing or sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or

leg controls.” R. 20 (citing 20 CFR § 416.967(c)). Plaintiff challenges the RFC on two grounds: (1) the RFC fails to specify postural and mental limitations, and (2) the RFC fails to incorporate Plaintiff’s severe impairments of obesity and gout. Both arguments fail. 1. Plaintiff waived his argument regarding functional limitations.

In two sentences, Plaintiff argues that the RFC is not supported by substantial evidence because it omits postural and mental limitations. See Doc. 15 at 7. Plaintiff states that the limitation to medium work “specifically deals with physical exertion. It provides nothing for postural limitations or mental limitations.” See id. The argument is underdeveloped and unsupported. Accordingly, the Court considers the argument waived. See Davis v. Soc. Sec. Admin., Comm’r, No 4:20-CV-346-LSC, 2021 WL 3887467, at *6 (N.D. Ala. Aug. 31, 2021) (claimant waived claim because he failed to develop argument

or cite supporting authority) (citing Outlaw v. Barnhard, 197 F. App’x 825, 828 n.3 (11th Cir. 2006)); Lewis v. Berryhill, No. 1:17-CV-62-MW-GRJ, 2018 WL 1463725, at *5 (N.D. Fla. Mar. 1, 2018) (“[C]onclusory and unsupported arguments may be deemed waived.”) (citing N.L.R.B. v. McClain of Georgia, Inc., 138 F.3d 1418, 1422 (11th Cir. 1998)). 2. The RFC is sufficient despite not specifying limitations pertaining to Plaintiff’s obesity and gout.

The RFC is a determination of the most a claimant can do despite his limitations based on relevant medical and other evidence in the record. 20 C.F.R. §§ 416.945(a)(1), 416.945(a)(3). “Once the ALJ has determined the claimant’s RFC, the claimant bears the burden of demonstrating that the ALJ’s decision is not supported by substantial evidence.” Talton v. Kijakazi, No. CV 20-00543-B, 2022 WL 822158, at *6 (S.D. Ala. Mar. 17, 2022) (citing Flynn v. Heckler, 768 F.2d 1273, 1274 (11th Cir. 1985)). As long as an ALJ “has ‘provide[d] a sufficient rationale to link’ substantial record evidence ‘to the legal

conclusions reached[,]’” the RFC is supported by substantial evidence. Nichols v. Kijakazi, No. 3:20-CV-00224-SRW, 2021 WL 4476658, at *7 (M.D. Ala. Sept. 29, 2021) (citing Eaton v. Colvin, 180 F. Supp. 3d 1037, 1055 (S.D. Ala. 2016)). In this circuit, if “the ALJ’s RFC finding is supported by substantial evidence, there is no requirement to include any

particular functional limitations, regardless of a claimant’s severe impairments.” Davis v. Kijakazi, No. 2:20-CV-402-JTA, 2022 WL 779773, at *4 (M.D. Ala. 2022) (citing Davis- Grimplin v. Comm’r, Soc. Sec. Admin., 556 F. App’x 858, 860 (11th Cir. 2014)); see also Fortner v. Astrue, No. 4:12-CV-986-RDP, 2013 WL 3816551, at *6 (N.D. Ala.

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