Joanie Graves v. Nancy A. Berryhill

District Court, C.D. California·Decided April 21, 2020·No. 5:18-cv-01056·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOANIE G.1, an Individual, Case No.: 5:18-01056 ADS Plaintiff, v. MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ANDREW M. SAUL2, Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

Plaintiff Joanie G. (“Plaintiff”) challenges Defendant Andrew M. Saul, Commissioner of Social Security’s (hereinafter “Commissioner” or “Defendant”) denial 1 Plaintiff’s name has been partially redacted in compliance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c)(2)(B) and the recommendation of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management of the Judicial Conference of the United States. 2 On June 17, 2019, Saul became the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Thus, he is automatically substituted as the defendant under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 25(d). of her application for a period of disability and disability insurance benefits (“DIB”). Plaintiff contends that the Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) failed to properly consider relevant medical evidence and improperly rejected her substantive statements and testimony of her symptoms and limitations in assessing her residual functional capacity. For the reasons stated below, the decision of the Commissioner is affirmed, and this

matter is dismissed with prejudice. Plaintiff last worked in February 2014 in the capacity of what she described as a counselor at a youth homeless shelter, and prior to that as an administrative assistant. (Administrative Record “AR” 38, 42-43). When Plaintiff filed her claim for social security benefits, she alleged disability due to degenerative joint disease in her hip and lumbar spine. (AR 64). In response to the ALJ asking her what the primary reason is she can no longer work, Plaintiff responded: “[t]he medication I’m on keeps me drowsy. I’m in pain 24 hours a day and my hand and hip and legs hurt 24 hours a day, so it’s hard for me to sit, move, or any of that. Write, because I was used to typing all day and writing all day.

But my hand swells up and my legs and stuff.” (AR 46). In finding Plaintiff not disabled under the Social Security Act, the ALJ found that Plaintiff was capable of performing light work with significant limitations. (AR 23). The only medical opinions in evidence assessed Plaintiff capable of performing medium work and the ALJ gave those opinions little weight. (AR 22-23). None of Plaintiff’s treating physicians provided a medical opinion regarding the Plaintiff’s functional limitations and there is no medical source opinion in evidence supporting greater limitations than those assessed by the ALJ. (AR 23). A. Procedural History Plaintiff protectively filed her application for DIB on March 4, 2014, alleging disability beginning February 5, 2014. (AR 156-61). Plaintiff’s claims were denied initially on July 25, 2014 (AR 86-89), and upon reconsideration on April 21, 2015 (AR

94-98). A hearing was held before ALJ Robert Lenzini on April 10, 2017. (AR 30-63). Plaintiff, represented by counsel, appeared and testified at the hearing, as well as vocational consultant Aida Y. Worthington. Id. On May 23, 2017, the ALJ found that Plaintiff was “not disabled” within the meaning of the Social Security Act.3 (AR 12-29). The ALJ’s decision became the Commissioner’s final decision when the Appeals Council denied Plaintiff’s request for review on March 20, 2018. (AR 1-6). Plaintiff then filed this action in District Court on May 16, 2018, challenging the ALJ’s decision. [Docket (“Dkt.”) No. 1]. On November 6, 2018, Defendant filed an Answer, as well as a copy of the Certified Administrative Record. [Dkt. Nos. 20, 21]. Plaintiff filed a Memorandum in Support of Complaint on April 16, 2019. [Dkt. No. 32]. Defendant filed a Memorandum

in Support of Answer on May 21, 2019. [Dkt. No. 33]. On June 6, 2019, Plaintiff filed a Statement of No Reply. [Dkt. No. 34]. The case is ready for decision.4

3 Persons are “disabled” for purposes of receiving Social Security benefits if they are unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity owing to a physical or mental impairment expected to result in death, or which has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. 42 U.S.C. §423(d)(1)(A). 4 The parties filed consents to proceed before the undersigned United States Magistrate Judge, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), including for entry of final Judgment. [Dkt. Nos. 13, 16]. B. Summary of ALJ Decision After Hearing In the decision (AR 15-25), the ALJ followed the required five-step sequential evaluation process to assess whether Plaintiff was disabled under the Social Security Act.5 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4). At step one, the ALJ found that Plaintiff had not been engaged in substantial gainful activity since February 5, 2014, the alleged onset

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Joanie Graves v. Nancy A. Berryhill, (C.D. Cal. 2020).

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