Justin E. v. Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security

CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedJanuary 20, 2026
Docket0:25-cv-00058
StatusUnknown

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

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Justin E. v. Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security, (mnd 2026).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA

Justin E.,1 Case No. 25-CV-0058 (JWB/JFD)

Plaintiff,

v. REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), Plaintiff Justin E. seeks judicial review of the Defendant Commissioner of Social Security’s final decision denying his application for Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”). The case has been referred to the undersigned United States Magistrate Judge for a Report and Recommendation pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636 and District of Minnesota Local Rule 72.1. Before the Court are Plaintiff’s Brief (Dkt. No. 16), Defendant’s Brief (Dkt. No. 18), and Plaintiff’s Reply Brief (Dkt. No. 19). Plaintiff argues that the Social Security Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) who authored the final decision erred “by playing doctor instead of developing the record.” (Pl.’s Br. at 11.) Defendant responds that the ALJ properly determined that the existing record was sufficient and no additional neuropsychological testing was necessary. As set forth below,

1 The District of Minnesota has adopted a policy of using only the first name and last initial of nongovernmental parties in Social Security cases. the Court finds that the ALJ correctly determined that the record did not need further development and recommends that the decision of the Commissioner be affirmed.

I. Background A. Process for Applying for Disability Benefits People with disabilities can qualify for financial support from the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) through one or both of its assistance programs: the Disability Insurance Program under Title II of the Social Security Act and the Supplemental Security Income Program under Title XVI of the Act. See Smith v. Berryhill, 587 U.S. 471, 475

(2019) (citing Bowen v. Galbreath, 485 U.S. 74, 75 (1988)). Only SSI benefits are at issue in this case. The SSI Program is a public assistance program that provides support to people with disabilities, whether or not they have paid social security taxes, who demonstrate financial need. Id.; 42 U.S.C. § 1381a (guaranteeing support to eligible “aged, blind, or disabled” people); 20 C.F.R. § 416.110 (explaining program’s purpose).

For SSI purposes, “disability” is defined 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 twelve months.” 42 U.S.C. § 1382c(a)(3)(A). A physical or mental impairment “results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological

abnormalities which are demonstrable by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques.” Id. § 1382c(a)(3)(D). To receive SSI, a claimant must submit an application to the SSA, which grants or denies the application according to the SSA’s regulations. See 20 C.F.R. § 416.1400 (outlining SSI administrative process under Title XVI). There are four levels of administrative review. At the “initial determination” stage, the SSA decides whether the

claimant is eligible for benefits, and if the claimant is unsuccessful, the claimant may file a request for reconsideration. 20 C.F.R. § 416.1400(a)(1), (2). If the application is denied at the reconsideration level, the claimant may request a hearing before an ALJ. 20 C.F.R. § 416.1400(a)(3). The ALJ determines whether a person is disabled using a five-step sequential analysis described in 20 C.F.R. § 416.920. For the first four steps, the claimant bears the

burden of proof. Bowen v. Yuckert, 482 U.S. 137, 146 n.5 (1987). Steps one through four ask “(1) whether claimant is engaged in substantial gainful activity, (2) whether claimant has a severe impairment, (3) whether the impairment meets or equals the severity of a listed impairment, [and] (4) whether claimant has the residual functional capacity to perform past relevant work activity.” See Delph v. Astrue, 538 F.3d 940, 946 (8th Cir. 2008) (citing Smith

v. Shalala, 987 F.2d 1371, 1373 (8th Cir. 1993)). If the claimant successfully meets the burden of proof for the first four steps, the Commissioner bears the burden at step five to establish that the claimant can make an adjustment to other work. 20 C.F.R. § 416.920(a)(4)(v). If the claimant is not satisfied with the ALJ’s decision, the next step is to ask for

review by the Appeals Council. 20 C.F.R. § 416.1400(a)(4). The Appeals Council’s decision is the “final decision” of the Commissioner, which may then be appealed to a federal district court. 20 C.F.R. § 416.1400(a)(5). B. Relevant Medical Evidence Plaintiff fell off his front steps on July 23, 2022, and suffered a significant traumatic brain injury (“TBI”). (See Soc. Sec. Admin. R. (hereinafter “R.”) 1265.)2 Plaintiff also has

diagnoses of bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and a history of alcohol use. (R. 12, 1266.) On January 25, 2023, Plaintiff attended a psychological consultation and examination with Monique Bourdeaux, Psy.D., L.P., for the purpose of assessing his daily functioning. (R. 1265.) Dr. Bourdeaux administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-

Fourth Edition (“WAIS-IV”) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (“WMS-IV”) tests. The WAIS-IV test yielded a full-scale IQ of 86, which was “in the low average range of intellectual functioning.” (R. 1268.) Most of Plaintiff’s other scores were also in the low average range. (R. 1268.) The WMS-IV results were similar, with scores between the low average and average range. (R. 1269.) Dr. Bourdeaux concluded that Plaintiff could

understand, remember, and follow directions; was moderately able to sustain attention, concentration, persistence, and pace; could respond appropriately to others; and was moderately able to tolerate mental stressors in an entry-level workplace. (R. 1269.) On February 13, 2023, speech language pathologist Kelsey Kuhlman administered the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (“RBANS”) test

to Plaintiff. (R. 1277.) This test was developed originally to assess dementia but is also

2 The Social Security administrative record is filed at Docket No. 11.

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Related

Bowen v. Yuckert
482 U.S. 137 (Supreme Court, 1987)
Bowen v. Galbreath
485 U.S. 74 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Collins v. Astrue
648 F.3d 869 (Eighth Circuit, 2011)
Smith v. Shalala
987 F.2d 1371 (Eighth Circuit, 1993)
Delph v. Astrue
538 F.3d 940 (Eighth Circuit, 2008)
Jessie Nash v. Commissioner, Social Security
907 F.3d 1086 (Eighth Circuit, 2018)
Smith v. Berryhill
587 U.S. 471 (Supreme Court, 2019)
Eric Lucus v. Andrew Saul
960 F.3d 1066 (Eighth Circuit, 2020)

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