Gonzales v. Social Security Administration

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Oklahoma
DecidedJuly 31, 2023
Docket6:22-cv-00042
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Gonzales v. Social Security Administration, (E.D. Okla. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

KEVIN WAYNE GONZALES, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Case No. 22-cv-42-DES ) KILOLO KIJAKAZI, ) Acting Commissioner of the Social ) Security Administration, ) ) Defendant. ) OPINION AND ORDER Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), Plaintiff Kevin Wayne Gonzales (“Claimant”) seeks judicial review of a final decision by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (“Commissioner”) denying his claims for disability insurance benefits under Title II and supplemental security income benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act (the “Act”). For the reasons explained below, the Court AFFIRMS the Commissioner’s decision denying benefits. I. Statutory Framework and Standard of Review The Act defines “disability” as the “inability 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 12 months.” 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(1)(A). To be deemed disabled under the Act, a claimant’s impairment(s) must be “of such severity that he is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy.” 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(2)(A). Social security regulations implement a five-step sequential process to evaluate a disability claim. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520(a)(4), 416.920(a)(4). This process requires the Commissioner to consider: (1) whether the claimant is engaged in substantial gainful activity; (2) whether the claimant suffers from a medically determinable severe impairment(s); (3) whether such impairment meets or medically equals a listed impairment set forth in 20 C.F.R. pt. 404, subpt. P., app. 1; (4) whether the claimant can perform his past relevant work considering the Commissioner’s assessment of the claimant’s residual functional capacity (“RFC”); and

(5) whether the claimant can perform other work considering the RFC and certain vocational factors. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520(a)(4)(i)-(v), 416.920(a)(4)(i)-(v). The claimant bears the burden of proof through step four, but the burden shifts to the Commissioner at step five. Lax v. Astrue, 489 F.3d 1080, 1084 (10th Cir. 2007). If it is determined, at any step of the process, that the claimant is or is not disabled, evaluation under a subsequent step is not necessary. Williams v. Bowen, 844 F.2d 748, 750 (10th Cir. 1988). A district court’s review of the Commissioner’s final decision is governed by 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). The scope of judicial review under § 405(g) is limited to determining whether the Commissioner applied the correct legal standards and whether the Commissioner’s factual findings

are supported by substantial evidence. See Noreja v. Soc. Sec. Comm’r, 952 F.3d 1172, 1177 (10th Cir. 2020). Substantial evidence is more than a scintilla but means only “‘such evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.’” Biestek v. Berryhill, 139 S. Ct. 1148, 1154 (2019) (quoting Consolidated Edison Co. v. NLRB, 305 U.S. 197, 229 (1938). In conducting its review, the Court “may neither reweigh the evidence nor substitute [its] judgment for that of the agency.” Noreja, 952 F.3d at 1178 (quotation omitted). Rather, the Court must “meticulously examine the record as a whole, including anything that may undercut or detract from the ALJ’s findings in order to determine if the substantiality test has been met.” Flaherty v. Astrue, 515 F.3d 1067, 1070 (10th Cir. 2007) (quotation omitted). II. Claimant’s Background and Procedural History On August 20, 2018, Claimant applied for disability insurance benefits under Title II and supplemental security income benefits under Title XVI of the Act. (R. 21, 259-70). Claimant alleges he has been unable to work since September 1, 2016, due to problems with his knees and left shoulder. (R. 259, 266, 325). Claimant was 41 years old on the date of the ALJ’s decision.

(R. 40, 259, 266). He has a high school education and past work as a termite exterminator, furniture assembler and installer, and construction inspector. (R. 67-68, 326). Claimant’s claims for benefits were denied initially and on reconsideration, and he requested a hearing. (R. 78-148). ALJ Christopher Hunt conducted an administrative hearing and issued a decision on May 14, 2021, finding Claimant not disabled. (R. 40, 48-77). The Appeals Council denied review on December 13, 2021 (R. 10-15), rendering the Commissioner’s decision final. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.981, 416.1481. Claimant filed this appeal on February 7, 2022. (Docket No. 2). III. The ALJ’s Decision

In his decision, the ALJ found at step one that Claimant engaged in substantial gainful activity between October 2019 and December 2020, but that there had been a continuous 12-month period during which he did not engage in substantial gainful activity. (R. 23-24). At step two, the ALJ found Claimant had severe impairments of lumbar degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and left shoulder arthropathy, but that his hypertension, cellulitis, obstructive sleep apnea, left ankle degenerative changes and heel spur, and stimulant dependence were non-severe. (R. 24). At step three, the ALJ found Claimant’s impairments did not meet or equal a listed impairment. (R. 27-28). Before proceeding to step four, the ALJ determined Plaintiff had the RFC to perform light work as defined in 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1567(b), 416.967(b) with the following non-exertional limitations: He can occasionally climb ramps and stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. He is unable to climb ladders, ropes, or scaffolds. He is unable to be exposed to unprotected heights. He can occasionally reach overhead with the left upper extremity. He can occasionally operate pedals and foot controls.

(R. 28). Based on the testimony of a vocational expert (“VE”), the ALJ concluded at step four that Claimant could return to his past relevant work as a construction inspector as generally performed in the national economy. (R. 38-39). At step five, the ALJ made an alternate finding that Claimant could also perform other work existing in significant numbers in the national economy, including solderer, product assembler, and bench assembler. (R. 39-40). Accordingly, the ALJ concluded Claimant was not disabled. (R. 40). IV. Issues Presented Claimant raises the following points of error in his challenge to the Commissioner’s denial of benefits, which the undersigned re-organizes for clarity: (1) the ALJ failed to conduct a proper analysis pursuant to Winfrey v.

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Gonzales v. Social Security Administration, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gonzales-v-social-security-administration-oked-2023.