Crooker v. Apfel

114 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3275, 2000 WL 284268
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Alabama
DecidedMarch 13, 2000
DocketCIV. A. 98-0733-P-G
StatusPublished

This text of 114 F. Supp. 2d 1251 (Crooker v. Apfel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crooker v. Apfel, 114 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3275, 2000 WL 284268 (S.D. Ala. 2000).

Opinion

ORDER REVERSING THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE

PITTMAN, Senior District Judge.

Presently pending before this court is plaintiffs Statement of Objection to the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation made under 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B), and dated January 25, 2000 (doc. 20). The Magistrate Judge recommends that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security to deny plaintiffs claim for disability insurance and supplemental security income be affirmed (doc. 17).

Plaintiff raises three objections: 1) The Magistrate Judge erred in assigning weight to the opinion of William A. Crot-well, III, M.D., an examining physician, that plaintiff could do sedentary work; 2) the Magistrate Judge erred in evaluating the physical capacities evaluation completed by Dr. Crotwell with regard to stooping; and 3) the Magistrate Judge erred in evaluating plaintiffs need for frequent rests. This court writes to plaintiffs third objection.

In this Circuit, it is well established that

[i]n reviewing claims brought under the Social Security Act, [the court’s] role is a limited one. We may not decide the facts anew, reweigh the evidence, or substitute our judgment for that of the Secretary. Even if we find that the evidence preponderates against the Sec *1252 retary’s decision, we must affirm if the decision is supported by substantial evidence. Yet, within this narrowly circumscribed role, we do not “act as automatons.” We must scrutinize the record as a whole, to determine if the decision reached is reasonable, and supported by substantial evidence.
Substantial evidence is more than a scintilla, but less than a preponderance. It is such relevant evidence as a reasonable person would accept as adequate to support a conclusion.

Bloodsworth, 703 F.2d at 1239 (internal citations omitted). This court finds that the Commissioner’s decision is not supported by substantial evidence.

As noted by the Magistrate Judge, plaintiff suffers with a severe deformity of the left foot and left lower extremity. See document 17, p. 2, ¶ 1.

The ALJ found that plaintiff “is unable to perform her past relevant work as a cashier.” (Tr. 21, Finding 7). With that finding, “the burden shifts to the [Commissioner] to prove that the claimant is capable, considering [her] age, education, and work experience, of engaging in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy.” Sryock v. Heckler, 764 F.2d 834, 836 (11th Cir.1985).

The ALJ found that plaintiff has the residual functional capacity to perform the physical exertion and non-exertional requirements of work except for work involving lifting more than ten pounds occasionally and five pounds frequently. She cannot use her hands in repetitive actions such as pushing and pulling of arm controls. She cannot use her feet in repetitive actions such as pushing and pulling of leg controls. She cannot bend, squat, crawl, or climb. She can reach occasionally. She is totally restricted from activities involving unprotected heights and being around moving machinery. She also has a moderate restriction involving driving automotive equipment.

(Tr. 21, Finding 5). The ALJ found that plaintiff is able to perform sedentary jobs which exist in significant numbers in the national and local economies. (Tr. 22, Finding 11). The ALJ noted “[considering these vocational factors and Hypothetical No. 1 submitted to the vocational expert [ (“YE”) ] at the hearing [January 20, 1995,] I find that the claimant can perform jobs which exist in significant numbers in the national and local economies, such as: a radio dispatcher and as a surveillance system monitor. Hence, I find that the claimant is not disabled.” (Tr. 20, ¶ 4).

In so doing, the ALJ assigned the examining physician, Dr. Crotwell’s physical capacities evaluation (“PCE”) “great weight as it is consistent with the other evidence of record.” (Tr. 19, ¶ 1). The ALJ then concluded that “[t]he weight of the evidence shows that the claimant can perform sedentary work.” Id..

However, Dr. Crotwell’s evaluation clearly reflects that plaintiff has the ability to sit for eight hours during an entire eight-hour day, one hour at a time; that plaintiff could stand one hour and walk one hour during an entire eight-hour day, but less than one hour for each posture at a time; and that plaintiff “could tolerate sedentary work only with frequent rests.” (Tr. 213, emphasis added). During the hearing the ALJ and the VE discussed the meaning of Dr. Crotwell’s usage of the phrase “frequent rests.” (Tr. 84-86). The VE stated that she “would need a greater explanation from the doctor to know what he meant by frequent rest.” (Tr. 85). The ALJ asked of the VE:

Q Well how many times a day... generally does... [a] radio dispatcher and surveillance system monitor permit breaks...?
A Depends on the individual employer. At least every 2 hours or so. Maybe 2 to 3 hours. Maybe a break, and then a lunch period and then another break before the 8 hour shift is over.
Q So 3 to 4 times out of the day maybe?
*1253 A Including the lunch.
Q Including the lunch break. In your view would that equate frequent... or do you need more than that?
A I really would need more than that, because its been my experience that' some doctors frequent means a little bit different. To each individual one.

(Tr. 85).

Nevertheless, without further ado, the ALJ construed frequent to mean once an hour. The Magistrate Judge found this “reasonable” (doc. 17, p. 8, ¶ 5). This court does not in light of the evidence of record.

The transcript reflects:
Q So if I was to construe that word frequent to mean once an hour, she would need a break once an hour, would these jobs exist?
A When you’re talking about a break, are you talking about a break to lay down or a break to just stand up and stretch?
Q Frequent rest meaning to spend 5 to 10 minutes every hour doing whatever she felt she need[ed] to do to make herself comfortable...
A I think it would depend on the individual employer. That’s why I’m saying I don’t know about the significant numbers, because if there’s only one person there maybe at the time monitoring. It would just depend on the individual employer, possibly just to stand up and move around right there at the console would be okay, but if she had to leave and go somewhere I don’t know that they would exist in significant numbers.

(Tr. 85-86). The VE’s opinion regarding the availability of jobs is less than definitive.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
114 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3275, 2000 WL 284268, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crooker-v-apfel-alsd-2000.