Secatero v. Social Security Administration

CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedJanuary 27, 2020
Docket1:19-cv-00087
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Secatero v. Social Security Administration, (D.N.M. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO JUANITA J. SECATERO,

Plaintiff,

vs. Civ. No. 19-87 SCY

ANDREW SAUL, Commissioner of Social Security,1

Defendant.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER2 THIS MATTER is before the Court on the Social Security Administrative Record filed April 4, 2019, Doc. 13, in support of Plaintiff Juanita J. Secatero’s Complaint, Doc. 1, seeking review of the decision of Defendant Andrew Saul, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, denying Plaintiff’s claim for disability insurance benefits under Title II and Title XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 401 et seq. On June 25, 2019, Plaintiff filed her Motion To Reverse And Remand For A Rehearing With Supporting Memorandum. Doc. 18. The Commissioner filed a Brief in Response on September 25, 2019, Doc. 22, and Plaintiff filed a Reply on October 15, 2019, Doc. 27. The Court has jurisdiction to review the Commissioner’s final decision under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) and § 1383(c). Having meticulously reviewed the entire record and the applicable law and being fully advised in the premises, the Court finds the Motion is well taken and is GRANTED.

1 Andrew Saul was sworn in as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration on June 17, 2019 and is automatically substituted as a party pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 25(d). 2 Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), the parties consented to the undersigned to conduct any or all proceedings and to enter an order of judgment. Docs. 4, 8, 9. Background and Procedural Record Claimant Juanita J. Secatero suffers from the following severe impairments: migraine headaches; diabetes mellitus, type II; mild osteoarthritis; right shoulder disorder; posttraumatic stress disorder; anxiety; and depression. Administrative Record (“AR”) at 17. She alleges that she became disabled as of January 1, 2014. AR 13. She has a high school degree, completed two

years of college, and earned a nursing assistance certificate that expired in 1993. AR 131-32, 357. She has past work as a home attendant, leasing agent, employment interviewer, and personnel clerk. AR 132-33. Ms. Secatero filed a claim of disability under Title XVI on July 21, 2015 and a claim under Title II on August 25, 2015. AR 165, 166. Her applications were initially denied on November 18, 2015, AR 165-66, and upon reconsideration on April 28, 2016, AR 195-96. Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) Cole Gerstner conducted a hearing on October 11, 2017. AR 91. Ms. Secatero appeared in person at the hearing with attorney representative Michael Armstrong. AR 108. The ALJ took testimony from Ms. Secatero and an impartial vocational

expert (“VE”), Karen N. Provine. Id. On January 29, 2018, ALJ Gerstner issued an unfavorable decision. AR 13. The Appeals Council denied review on December 1, 2018, noting that Ms. Secatero submitted additional evidence but declining to consider it. AR 1-2. The ALJ’s decision is the Commissioner’s final decision for purposes of judicial review. Ms. Secatero proceeded to federal court on January 30, 2019. Doc. 1. Because the parties are familiar with Ms. Secatero’s medical history, the Court reserves discussion of the medical records relevant to this appeal for its analysis. Applicable Law A. Disability Determination Process An individual is considered disabled if she is unable “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) (pertaining to disability insurance benefits); see also id. § 1382(a)(3)(A) (pertaining to supplemental security income disability benefits for adult individuals). The Social Security Commissioner has adopted the familiar five- step sequential evaluation process (“SEP”) to determine whether a person satisfies the statutory criteria as follows: (1) At step one, the ALJ must determine whether the claimant is engaged in “substantial gainful activity.”3 If the claimant is engaged in substantial gainful activity, she is not disabled regardless of her medical condition.

(2) At step two, the ALJ must determine the severity of the claimed physical or mental impairment(s). If the claimant does not have an impairment(s) or combination of impairments that is severe and meets the duration requirement, she is not disabled.

(3) At step three, the ALJ must determine whether a claimant’s impairment(s) meets or equals in severity one of the listings described in Appendix 1 of the regulations and meets the duration requirement. If so, a claimant is presumed disabled.

(4) If, however, the claimant’s impairments do not meet or equal in severity one of the listings described in Appendix 1 of the regulations, the ALJ must determine at step four whether the claimant can perform her “past relevant work.” Answering this question involves three phases. Winfrey v. Chater, 92 F.3d 1017, 1023 (10th Cir. 1996). First, the ALJ considers all of the relevant medical and other evidence and determines what is “the

3 Substantial work activity is work activity that involves doing significant physical or mental activities. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1572(a), 416.972(a). Work may be substantial even if it is done on a part-time basis or if you do less, get paid less, or have less responsibility than when you worked before. Id. Gainful work activity is work activity that you do for pay or profit. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1572(b), 416.972(b). most [claimant] can still do despite [her physical and mental] limitations.” 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1545(a)(1), 416.945(a)(1). This is called the claimant’s residual functional capacity (“RFC”). Id. §§ 404.1545(a)(3), 416.945(a)(3). Second, the ALJ determines the physical and mental demands of claimant’s past work. Third, the ALJ determines whether, given claimant’s RFC, the claimant is capable of meeting those demands. A claimant who is capable of returning to past relevant work is not disabled.

(5) If the claimant does not have the RFC to perform her past relevant work, the Commissioner, at step five, must show that the claimant is able to perform other work in the national economy, considering the claimant’s RFC, age, education, and work experience. If the Commissioner is unable to make that showing, the claimant is deemed disabled. If, however, the Commissioner is able to make the required showing, the claimant is deemed not disabled. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4) (disability insurance benefits); 20 C.F.R. § 416.920(a)(4) (supplemental security income disability benefits); Fischer-Ross v. Barnhart, 431 F.3d 729, 731 (10th Cir. 2005); Grogan v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Bowen v. Yuckert
482 U.S. 137 (Supreme Court, 1987)
Watkins v. Barnhart
350 F.3d 1297 (Tenth Circuit, 2003)
Threet v. Barnhart
353 F.3d 1185 (Tenth Circuit, 2003)
Hamlin v. Barnhart
365 F.3d 1208 (Tenth Circuit, 2004)
Langley v. Barnhart
373 F.3d 1116 (Tenth Circuit, 2004)
Chambers v. Barnhart
389 F.3d 1139 (Tenth Circuit, 2004)
Grogan v. Barnhart
399 F.3d 1257 (Tenth Circuit, 2005)
Fischer-Ross v. Barnhart
431 F.3d 729 (Tenth Circuit, 2005)
Bowman v. Astrue
511 F.3d 1270 (Tenth Circuit, 2008)
Krauser v. Astrue
638 F.3d 1324 (Tenth Circuit, 2011)
Keyes-Zachary v. Astrue
695 F.3d 1156 (Tenth Circuit, 2012)
Padilla v. Astrue
525 F. App'x 710 (Tenth Circuit, 2013)
Davison v. Colvin
596 F. App'x 675 (Tenth Circuit, 2014)
Vallejo v. Berryhill
849 F.3d 951 (Tenth Circuit, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Secatero v. Social Security Administration, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/secatero-v-social-security-administration-nmd-2020.