STURGILL v. SAUL

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Indiana
DecidedFebruary 3, 2021
Docket1:19-cv-04046
StatusUnknown

This text of STURGILL v. SAUL (STURGILL v. SAUL) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
STURGILL v. SAUL, (S.D. Ind. 2021).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION

SHAWN S.1, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) No. 1:19-cv-04046-JPH-MPB ) ANDREW M. SAUL Commissioner of ) Social Security Administration, ) ) Defendant. )

ENTRY REVIEWING THE COMMISSIONER’S DECISION Plaintiff Shawn S. seeks judicial review of the Social Security Administration's ("SSA's") decision denying his petition for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income. He argues that the decision did not properly address his migraine headaches. For the reasons below, the decision is AFFIRMED. I. Facts and Background

On November 2, 2015, Plaintiff filed an application for a period of disability and disability insurance benefits as well as an application for supplemental security income. Dkt. 6-2 at 16 (R. 15). He alleged that his disability began on September 1, 2014. Id. On March 11, 2016, the SSA

1 To protect the privacy interests of claimants for Social Security benefits, consistent with the recommendation of the Court Administration and Case Management Committee of the Administrative Office of the United States courts, the Southern District of Indiana has opted to use only the first name and last initial of non-governmental parties in its Social Security judicial review opinions. denied both applications. Id. On reconsideration, SSA again denied his claims. Id. Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") Teresa A. Kroenecke held a hearing in

June 2018, id., and denied Plaintiff's benefits on October 2, 2018, id. at 24–25 (R. 23–24). In her decision, the ALJ found that: • At step one, Plaintiff had not engaged in "substantial gainful activity"2 since his alleged onset date of September 1, 2014. Id. at 18 (R. 17).

• At step two, Plaintiff had severe impairments of "seizure disorder and migraine headaches." Id.

• At step three, Plaintiff did not have "an impairment or combination of impairments that m[et] or medically equal[ed] the severity of one of the listed impairments." Id. at 20 (R. 19).

• Between steps three and four, Plaintiff had the Residual Functional Capacity ("RFC") "to perform light work." Id. at 20–21 (R. 19–20). In doing that light work, Plaintiff could "frequent[ly] stoop[], kneel[], crouch[], crawl[], balanc[e], and climb[] ramps and stairs." Id. at 21 (R. 20). However, Plaintiff could not climb "ladders, ropes, or scaffolds," drive, or be exposed "to extreme heat, extreme cold, humidity, wetness, vibrations, or hazards such as dangerous heights or machinery." Id.

• At step four, Plaintiff could perform his "past relevant work as a warehouse worker," which did "not require the performance of work- related activities precluded" by his RFC. Id. at 23 (R. 22).

• Alternatively, at step five, after considering Plaintiff’s "age, education, work experience," and RFC, the ALJ found that other jobs exist "in significant numbers in the national economy that Plaintiff could perform, including positions like sorter, routing clerk, and collator operator. Id. at 23–24 (R. 22–23).

2 SSA regulations define "substantial gainful activity" as work activity that is both "substantial" ("involves significant physical or mental activities") and "gainful" ("usually done for pay or profit, whether or not a profit is realized"). 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1572(a), 416.972(b). On August 1, 2019, SSA's Appeal Council denied Plaintiff's request for review. Id. at 2 (R. 1). On September 27, 2019, Plaintiff brought this action for review of SSA's denial of benefits under 42 U.S.C. §§ 405(g), 1383(c)(3). Dkt. 1.

II. Applicable Law

"The Social Security Act authorizes payment of disability insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income to individuals with disabilities." Barnhart v. Walton, 535 U.S. 212, 214 (2002). "The statutory definition of 'disability' has two parts." Id. at 217. First, it requires "an inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity." Id. And second, it requires a physical or mental impairment that explains the inability and "has lasted or can be expected to last . . . not less than 12 months." Id. "The standard for disability claims under the Social Security Act is stringent." Williams-Overstreet v. Astrue, 364 F. App'x 271, 274 (7th Cir. 2010). "Even claimants with substantial impairments are not necessarily entitled to benefits, which are paid for by taxes, including taxes paid by those who work despite serious physical or mental impairments and for whom working is difficult and painful." Id. at 274. The ALJ must apply the five-step inquiry set forth in 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(i)–(v), evaluating in sequence: (1) whether the claimant is currently unemployed; (2) whether the claimant has a severe impairment; (3) whether the claimant's impairment meets or equals one of the impairments listed by the Commissioner; (4) whether the claimant can perform her past work; and (5) whether the claimant is capable of performing work in the national economy. Clifford v. Apfel, 227 F.3d 863, 868 (7th Cir. 2000) (citation omitted). "If a claimant satisfies steps one, two, and three, she will automatically be found disabled." Knight v. Chater, 55 F.3d 309, 313 (7th Cir. 1995). "If a claimant satisfies steps one and two, but not three, then she must satisfy step four." Id. "Once step four is satisfied, the burden shifts to the SSA to establish that the claimant is capable of performing work in the national economy." Id. After step three, but before step four, the ALJ must determine a

claimant's RFC by evaluating "all limitations that arise from medically determinable impairments, even those that are not severe." Villano v. Astrue, 556 F.3d 558, 563 (7th Cir. 2009). In doing so, the ALJ "may not dismiss a line of evidence contrary to the ruling." Id. The ALJ uses the RFC at step four to determine whether the claimant can perform her own past relevant work and, if not, at step five to determine whether the claimant can perform other work. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(e), (g). The burden of proof is on the claimant for steps one through four but shifts to the Commissioner at step five. See

Clifford, 227 F.3d at 868. When an applicant seeks judicial review of a benefits denial, courts will uphold an "ALJ's decision if it uses the correct legal standards, is supported by substantial evidence, and builds an accurate and logical bridge from the evidence to the ALJ's conclusion." Jeske v. Saul, 955 F.3d 583, 587 (7th Cir. 2020). Courts "review the entire record, but . . . do not replace the ALJ’s judgment . . . by reconsidering facts, re-weighing or resolving conflicts in the evidence, or deciding questions of credibility." Id. A court's "review is limited also to the ALJ’s rationales, meaning the Court cannot uphold an ALJ’s decision by giving it different ground to stand upon." Id. (citing SEC v. Chenery

Corp., 318 U.S. 80, 93–95 (1943)).

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Related

Securities & Exchange Commission v. Chenery Corp.
318 U.S. 80 (Supreme Court, 1943)
Barnhart v. Walton
535 U.S. 212 (Supreme Court, 2002)
Villano v. Astrue
556 F.3d 558 (Seventh Circuit, 2009)
Latesha Moon v. Carolyn Colvin
763 F.3d 718 (Seventh Circuit, 2014)
Daniel Minnick v. Carolyn Colvin
775 F.3d 929 (Seventh Circuit, 2015)
Michelle Jeske v. Andrew M. Saul
955 F.3d 583 (Seventh Circuit, 2020)
Carter v. Astrue
413 F. App'x 899 (Seventh Circuit, 2011)
Williams-Overstreet v. Astrue
364 F. App'x 271 (Seventh Circuit, 2010)

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STURGILL v. SAUL, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sturgill-v-saul-insd-2021.