Kelling v. Commissioner of Social Security

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Kentucky
DecidedJanuary 24, 2024
Docket1:23-cv-00043
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Kelling v. Commissioner of Social Security, (W.D. Ky. 2024).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY BOWLING GREEN DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:23-CV-00043-HBB

CHRISTINA K.1 PLAINTIFF

VS.

MARTIN O’MALLEY, COMMISSIONER SOCIAL SECURITY2 DEFENDANT

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

BACKGROUND Before the Court is the Complaint (DN 1) of Christina K. (“Plaintiff”) seeking judicial review of the final decision of the Commissioner pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). Both the Plaintiff (DN 13) and Defendant (DN 16) have filed a Fact and Law Summary. For the reasons that follow, the final decision of the Commissioner is AFFIRMED. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73, the parties have consented to the undersigned United States Magistrate Judge conducting all further proceedings in this case, including issuance of a memorandum opinion and entry of judgment, with direct review by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in the event an appeal is filed (DN 9). By Order entered June 20, 2023 (DN 10), the parties were notified that oral arguments would not be held unless a written request therefor was filed and granted. No such request was filed.

1 Pursuant to General Order 22-05, Plaintiff’s name in this matter was shortened to first name and last initial. 2 Martin O’Malley became the Commissioner of Social Security on December 20, 2023. Pursuant to Rule 25(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Martin O’Malley is substituted as the defendant in this suit. FINDINGS OF FACT On July 20, 2021, Plaintiff protectively filed applications for Disability Insurance Benefits and Supplemental Security Income (Tr. 98, 284-85, 286-89, 290-96). Plaintiff alleged that she became disabled on February 1, 2018, as a result of type 2 diabetes, bipolar disorder, anxiety, manic depression, high cholesterol, obesity, and back problems (Tr. 98, 141, 149, 158, 167, 368).

The application was denied initially on September 4, 2021, and upon reconsideration on December 17, 2021 (Tr. 98, 139, 140, 157, 176).3 On February 8, 2022, Plaintiff filed a written request for hearing (Tr. 98). On October 25, 2022, Administrative Law Judge Aubri G. Masterson (“ALJ”) conducted a telephonic hearing due to the extraordinary circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic (Tr. 98, 119-20). Plaintiff and her counsel, Mary Burchett-Bower, participated telephonically (Id.). Brenda Joyce White, an impartial vocational expert, testified during the telephonic hearing (Id.). In a decision dated November 15, 2022, the ALJ evaluated this adult disability claim

pursuant to the five-step sequential evaluation process promulgated by the Commissioner (Tr. 98-109). At the first step, the ALJ found Plaintiff has not engaged in substantial gainful activity since February 1, 2018, the alleged onset date (Tr. 100). At the second step, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff has the following severe impairments: bipolar disorder; anxiety; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”) (Tr. 101). The ALJ also determined that Plaintiff has the following non-severe physical impairments: diabetes, hypertension, high

3 The ALJ indicates the application was denied upon reconsideration on September 6, 2021 (Tr. 98). As the Disability Determination and Transmittal forms indicate September 4, 2021 (Tr. 139, 140), the undersigned has used that date. 2 cholesterol/hyperlipidemia, allergic rhinitis, GERD, insomnia, rosacea, obstructive sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome (Tr. 101). At the third step, the ALJ concluded that Plaintiff does not have an impairment or combination of impairments that meets or medically equals one of the listed impairments in Appendix 1 (Tr. 102). At step four, the ALJ found that Plaintiff has the residual functional capacity (“RFC”) to

perform full range of work at all exertional levels but with the following non-exertional limitations: she can perform simple, routine work and concentrate for two hour periods at one time; she can work in an object oriented work environment and work with objects rather than people; no production paced or quota driven work; no interaction with the general public; occasional interactions with coworkers and supervisors but no team or tandem tasks; and she can tolerate occasional workplace changes that are slow and gradually introduced (Tr. 103). Additionally, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff is unable to perform any past relevant work (Tr. 107). The ALJ proceeded to the fifth step where he considered Plaintiff’s RFC, age, education, and past work experience as well as testimony from the vocational expert (Tr. 107-09). The ALJ

found that Plaintiff is capable of performing a significant number of jobs that exist in the national economy (Id.). Therefore, the ALJ concluded that Plaintiff has not been under a “disability,” as defined in the Social Security Act, from February 1, 2018, through the date of the decision, November 15, 2022 (Tr. 109). Plaintiff timely filed a request for the Appeals Council to review the ALJ’s decision (Tr. 281-83). The Appeals Council denied Plaintiff’s request for review (Tr. 1-3).

3 CONCLUSIONS OF LAW A. Standard of Review Review by the Court is limited to determining whether the findings set forth in the final decision of the Commissioner are supported by “substantial evidence,” 42 U.S.C. § 405(g); Cotton v. Sullivan, 2 F.3d 692, 695 (6th Cir. 1993); Wyatt v. Sec’y of Health & Hum. Servs., 974 F.2d

680, 683 (6th Cir. 1992), and whether the correct legal standards were applied. Landsaw v. Sec’y of Health & Hum. Servs., 803 F.2d 211, 213 (6th Cir. 1986). “Substantial evidence exists when a reasonable mind could accept the evidence as adequate to support the challenged conclusion, even if that evidence could support a decision the other way.” Cotton, 2 F.3d at 695 (quoting Casey v. Sec’y of Health & Hum. Servs., 987 F.2d 1230, 1233 (6th Cir. 1993)). In reviewing a case for substantial evidence, the Court “may not try the case de novo, nor resolve conflicts in evidence, nor decide questions of credibility.” Cohen v. Sec’y of Health & Hum. Servs., 964 F.2d 524, 528 (6th Cir. 1992) (quoting Garner v. Heckler, 745 F.2d 383, 387 (6th Cir. 1984)). As previously mentioned, the Appeals Council denied Plaintiff’s request for review of the

ALJ’s decision (Tr. 1-3). At that point, the ALJ’s decision became the final decision of the Commissioner. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.955(b), 404.981, 422.210(a); see 42 U.S.C. § 405(h) (finality of the Commissioner’s decision). Thus, the Court will be reviewing the ALJ’s decision and the evidence that was in the administrative record when the ALJ rendered the decision. 42 U.S.C.

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