Myers v. Astrue

870 F. Supp. 2d 1164, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7973, 2012 WL 213717
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedJanuary 24, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 10-cv-1760-RBJ
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 870 F. Supp. 2d 1164 (Myers v. Astrue) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Myers v. Astrue, 870 F. Supp. 2d 1164, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7973, 2012 WL 213717 (D. Colo. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

R. BROOKE JACKSON, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on review of the Commissioner’s decision denying plaintiff Naomi Myers’ application for Disability Insurance Benefits (“DIB”) and Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) pursuant to Title II and Title XVT of the Social Security Act (“the Act”). Jurisdiction is proper under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). This dispute became ripe for decision by this Court upon the filing of plaintiffs Reply Brief on February 2, 2011. The Court apologizes to the parties for the delay in resolving the case.

Standard of Review

This appeal is based upon the administrative record and briefs submitted by the parties. In reviewing a final decision by the Commissioner, the role of the District Court is to examine the record and determine whether it “contains substantial evidence to support the Secretary’s decision and whether the Secretary applied the correct legal standards.” Ricketts v. Apfel, 16 F.Supp.2d 1280, 1287 (D.Colo.1998). A decision cannot be based on substantial evidence if “it is overwhelmed by other evidence in the record .... ” Bernal v. Bowen, 851 F.2d 297, 299 (10th Cir.1988). Substantial evidence requires “more than a scintilla, but less than a preponderance.” Wall v. Astrue, 561 F.3d 1048, 1052 (10th Cir.2009). Evidence is not substantial if it is “constitutes mere conclusion.” Musgrave v. Sullivan, 966 F.2d 1371, 1374 (10th Cir.1992).

Facts

Plaintiff Naomi Myers was born on December 8, 1960. She was 45 years old at the time of her June 29, 2006 application for benefits. Ms. Myers has limited education and is able to communicate in English. She has a relevant history of light to medium work as a machine operator, housekeeper and assembler. R. at 17.

The administrative record documents Ms. Myers’ medical and mental health treatment through 2008. In relevant part, the record indicates that plaintiff received:

• Some treatment and diagnostic testing for various complaints at Memorial Hospital in 1992 and in 2006 to 2007. R. at 201-02, 249-50, 277-83. Blood work from September demonstrated potential pre-diabetic tendencies. R. at 277.
• Treatment at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services between September 2005 and February for a variety of ailments. R. at 165-200. In September 2005 the hospital ran blood tests on a complaint of chronic fatigue. R. at 197-200.
• Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”) at Switzer Community Counseling Center between June 2005 and July 2007. R. at 203-07, 251-54. Ms. Myers’ GAF scores were 60 and 55 in 2005 and 50 in a July 2007 Mental Ability Assessment for Work-Related Activities supervised by L. Rutleck, M.D., and prepared by Ellie Scarborough. R. at 204, 207, 251.1 Ms. Scarborough observed that chronic fatigue affected adversely Ms. Myers’ memory, concentration and task comprehension. R. at 251-53.
[1167]*1167• Completion of two MED-9 forms for the Colorado Department of Human Services by Janak Joshi, M.D., in September 2006 and October 2007. R. at 208-09, 274-76. Dr. Joshi opined that Ms. Myers was unable to work due to hypersomnia, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety (2006) and later Graves Disease and PTSD (2007). Id.
• A consultative examination for the Social Security Administration by David Gibbons, D.O., on November 21, 2006. R. at 238-40. Dr. Gibbons reviewed some records that are not included in the administrative record including progress notes from Dr. Jamieson Kennedy, M.D., and a counseling letter from LASMA dated August 2006. R. at 238. He also examined some of Ms. Myers’ diagnostic tests from Memorial Hospital. Dr. Gibbons diagnosed Ms. Myers with fatigue of unclear etiology, Grave’s disease with episodes of palpitations, unknown liver problems, hyperlipidemia and sleep disturbance. R. at 240. He found her physical examination to be normal and elicited no objective findings “that would substantially corroborate or refute the client’s complaints of functional limitation due to fatigue and/or pain.” Id.
• Treatment at Mission Medical Center between September 2005 and April 2008 for fatigue, palpitations, PTSD, periodic limb movement disorder/restless leg syndrome, insomnia, hypersomnolence treated with anti-depressants, anxiety, depression and hyperthyroidism. R. at 255-73, 290-309.
• Completion of a “CFS RFC Questionnaire” by Jamieson D. Kennedy, M.D., on January 9, 2006. R. at 159-64. Dr. Kennedy diagnosed Ms. Myers with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (“CFS”) and hypersomnolence. R. at 159. He determined that her fatigue interferes with her attention and concentration and that her limitations in this regard had applied since 1991. R. at 161. He opined that she needs to be able to shift at will between sitting, standing or walking in the workplace and that she would need up to three nonscheduled breaks during an eight-hour workday. R. at 162. She would likely be absent from work twice a month because of her diagnosis. R. at 163.
• A Consultative Examination for the Social Security Administration by Brad A. Marten, Psy.D, on October 24, 2006. R. at 210-17. Dr. Marten apparently reviewed medical records that are not part of the administrative record. See R. at 212 (noting a statement by Dr. Kennedy in unidentified reviewed records that: “There has never been any medical verification or any definitive diagnosis. She is a very functional lady who has what I would call chronic fatigue syndrome.”). Dr. Marten diagnosed Ms. Myers with Dysthymic Disorder, an unspecified Anxiety Disorder, PTSD Provisional, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (“OCD”) Provisional, Mathematics Disorder and Somatization Disorder.2 R. at 215. Ms. Myers was also reported to have Borderline Intellectual Functioning, [1168]*1168CFS based on Physician’s Assessment and a GAF of 51. R. at 216.
• A medical examination, Psychiatric Review Technique and Mental RFC Assessment by James Wanstrath, Ph.D., on November 14, 2006. R. at 219-237. Dr. Wanstrath diagnosed Ms. Myers with borderline intellectual functioning, an affective disorder and an anxiety-related disorder, and suggested ruling out PTSD and OCD. R. at 221, 223, 225. Her GAF was 51. R. at 221. Dr. Wanstrath found that she had moderate restrictions on her daily activity, her ability to maintain concentration, persistence and pace and her ability to understand and remember detailed instructions. R. at 230, 234.

Plaintiff first applied for SSI and DIB alleging a disability onset date of September 8, 2004. R. at 100. An ALJ denied her claims on- June 1, 2006. R. at 9. No appeal was taken. R. at 23. Ms. Myers subsequently refilled applications for SSI and DIB on June 20, 2006 due to Graves disease, manic depression, low blood sugar, heart palpitations and liver problems. R. at 89-99. Plaintiffs SSI application alleged disability beginning on September 8, 2004. R. at 94.

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870 F. Supp. 2d 1164, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7973, 2012 WL 213717, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/myers-v-astrue-cod-2012.