Davis v. Colvin
Filing
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ORDER affirming Commissioner's decision. Signed on 8/1/14 by District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey. (Bax, Laura)
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
WESTERN DIVISION
CHRISTOPHER MARK DAVIS,
Plaintiff,
v.
CAROLYN W. COLVIN,
Acting Commissioner
of Social Security,
Defendant.
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Case No. 4:13-cv-00619-NKL
ORDER
Plaintiff Christopher Mark Davis appeals the Commissioner of Social Security’s decision
denying his application for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income.
42 U.S.C. §§ 401, et seq., and 1381, et seq. The Commissioner’s decision is AFFIRMED.
I.
Background
Davis alleges that he has been disabled since February 2009. The ALJ found Davis has
severe impairments of affective disorder, diabetes, and hypertension, but that they do not meet or
equal a listed impairment. [Tr. 15.] The ALJ determined Davis has no restriction of activities of
daily living, mild to moderate difficulties maintaining social functioning, and moderate
difficulties maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace [Tr. 16], and established the
following residual functional capacity (RFC):
Light work as defined in 20 C.F.R. 404.1567(b) and 416.967(b)
except she can lift and carry 20 pounds occasionally, 10 pounds
frequently; sit 4 hours, stand 2 hours, walk 2 hours; no frequent
stooping or bending; no crawling, kneeling, crouching, squatting,
or lifting from the ground; no more than simple, routine, repetitive
tasks; in a low stress work environment with only minimal
interaction with the public and co-workers.
[Tr. 17.]
The ALJ concluded that Davis could no longer perform his past relevant work as a
storage laborer [Tr. 19], but could perform other work as a collator operator (DOT 208.685-010),
folding machine operator (DOT 208.685-014), and sub-assembler (DOT 729.684-054) [Tr. 20].
II.
Discussion
Davis argues that the RFC is “unsupported by any medical evidence of record as to [his]
physical and mental functional limitations” [Doc. 15, p. 15]; the ALJ erred as a matter of law in
failing to address Davis’ obesity and glaucoma; the ALJ’s misstatement of the RFC to the
Vocational Expert (VE) requires reversal; and the ALJ should have ordered a consultative exam.
The Commissioner assesses disability using a five-step sequential evaluation process. See
20 C.F.R. 404.1520 and 416.920. At Steps 1 and 2, the ALJ must ensure the claimant is not
engaged in substantial gainful activity, and has a medically determinable impairment that is
“severe” within the meaning of the Social Security Act. Id. At Step 3, the claimant will be found
disabled if he has an impairment that meets or equals any impairment listed in 20 C.F.R. pt. 404,
subpt. P, app. 1. Id. Before proceeding to Step 4, the ALJ determines a claimant’s RFC, the
claimant’s ability to do physical and mental work activities on a sustained basis despite
limitations from his impairments. 20 C.F.R. 404.1520(e) and 416.920(e). The ALJ considers all
of a claimant’s impairments, including those that are not severe. Id., 20 C.F.R. 416.945, and
SSR 96-8p.
The claimant must show at Step 4, if not found disabled at Step 3, that he is not
able to return to his past relevant work. See, e.g., Pearsall v. Massanari, 274 F.3d 1211, 1217
(8th Cir. 2001). If the claimant makes such a showing, the burden of production shifts, at Step 5,
to the Commissioner to show that the claimant can perform jobs existing in significant numbers
in the national economy. 20 C.F.R. 404.1520 and 416.920.
The Commissioner’s findings are reversed “only if they are not supported by substantial
evidence or result from an error of law.” Byes v. Astrue, 687 F.3d 913, 915 (8th Cir. 2012).
Substantial evidence is less than a preponderance of the evidence, but enough that a reasonable
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mind might accept it as adequate to support the Commissioner’s conclusions. See Juszczyk
v.Astrue, 542 F.3d 626, 631 (8th Cir. 2008).
“If substantial evidence supports the
Commissioner’s conclusions, [the Court] does not reverse even if it would reach a different
conclusion, or merely because substantial evidence also supports the contrary outcome.” Byers,
687 at 915. Based on these principles, the Court finds no reversible error.
A. Support for the RFC
The RFC is supported by medical evidence concerning Davis’ mental and physical
limitations.
“An ALJ bears the primary responsibility for assessing a claimant’s [RFC] based on all
relevant evidence.” Roberts v. Apfel, 222 F.3d 466, 469 (8th Cir. 2000). Therefore, an ALJ’s
RFC finding may be proper, notwithstanding the absence of a medical opinion of record
mirroring the RFC in all particulars. See Martise v. Astrue, 641 F.3d 909, 927 (8th Cir. 2011).
The ALJ is not required to rely entirely on any one physician’s opinion, or choose between the
opinions of the claimant’s physicians. Id. An RFC must simply be supported by “at least some
medical evidence.” Myers v. Colvin, 721 F.3d 521, 527 (8th Cir. 2013) (citing Wildman v. Astrue,
596 F.3d 959, 969 (8th Cir. 2010)).
Davis specifically argues that the RFC is unsupported by any medical evidence with
respect to the impact of his depression, because the ALJ gave no weight to the opinion of the
psychiatric consultant, Dr. Allen, who completed a psychiatric review technique form. [Doc. 15,
p. 15.] Davis overlooks that the ALJ in fact relied on treatment records concerning Davis’
mental status exams and the effect of medications on Davis’ condition, and on the opinion of
Holly Chastain, Ph.D., who saw Davis twice. [Tr. 18, 324-35, 359-60, 392-403, 418.] Those
records reflect, for example, that Davis had relatively benign clinical findings, and that his
condition improved when he was taking his medication and worsened when he was not. The
ALJ did not rely on the entirety of Dr. Chastain’s opinion [Tr. 18], but the ALJ was not required
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to accept all or none of it. See Martise, 641 F.3d at 927. The RFC with respect to Davis’ mental
limitations is properly supported by “at least some medical evidence.” Myers, 721 F.3d at 527.
Davis similarly argues that the RFC is unsupported by any medical evidence with respect
to his physical limitations, because the ALJ gave no weight to the opinion of the medical
consultant, Dr. Majure-Lee, who completed a medical evaluation form. [Tr. 15, pp. 14-15.] But
the ALJ did cite and discuss the medical evidence in the record supporting the RFC. [Tr. 18-19.]
For example, a March 2011 examination by a treating physician, Dr. Beall, showed Davis could
walk without difficulty and was able to squat and rise; a negative straight-leg raise test; no
sensory or motor changes in the lower extremities; and a diagnosis of low back pain and lumbar
strain, most likely due to restless leg syndrome, for which medication was prescribed. [Tr. 18,
383-384.] The doctor gave Davis some back exercises to do. [Id.] Davis had an MRI of his
back in April 2011, because he claimed the exercises gave him no relief. [Tr. 18, 385.] The
MRI showed evidence of an annular tear at L1-L2, and some small areas of bulging, but “nothing
of a surgical nature at this point in time.” [Tr. 18, 386.]
Dr. Beall emphasized losing weight
and exercising as the most important things Davis could do for pain. [Id.]
A May 2011
treatment note reflected that Davis lost 12 pounds through diet and exercise. [Tr. 19, 368.] The
RFC finding as it related to Davis’ physical limitations is supported by “at least some medical
evidence.” Myers, 721 F.3d at 527.
Because the RFC is in fact supported by medical evidence concerning Davis’ mental and
physical limitations, his argument fails.
B. Davis’ obesity and glaucoma
Davis additionally argues that the RFC is unsupported because the ALJ failed to address
evidence in the record concerning Davis’ obesity and glaucoma. [Doc. 15, pp. 12-13.]
prejudicial error appears.
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No
Davis failed to allege these conditions in his application for benefits, and never
mentioned them at the hearing before the ALJ. An ALJ “is not obliged” to examine “a claim not
presented at the time of the application for benefits and not offered at the hearing as a basis for
disability.” Mouser v. Astrue, 545 F.3d 634, 639 (8th Cir. 2008). Therefore, the ALJ did not err
in failing to address the conditions.
C. The hypothetical posed to the VE
At Step 5 of the sequential evaluation process, when the ALJ posed the hypothetical to
the VE, asking what jobs existing in significant numbers in the national economy Davis can
perform, the ALJ inadvertently misstated his RFC finding to the VE. The RFC as found and the
RFC as posed both referred to light work. [Tr. 17, 73-74.] But, Davis argues, because the RFC
as found reduced by 2 hours the number of hours sitting, standing or walking in an 8-hour work
day, and the RFC as posed did not include the 2-hour reductions, reversal is required. [Doc. 15,
p. 12.]
Error must be prejudicial to justify reversal. Lacroix v. Barnhart, 465 F.3d 881, 886
(8th Cir. 2006). C.f. Hepp v. Astrue, 511 F.3d 798, 806 (8th Cir. 2008) (“[A]n arguable deficiency
in opinion-writing technique does not require [a court] to set aside an administrative finding
when the deficiency had no bearing on the outcome.”).
Although the ALJ’s misstatement of the RFC may reflect inattention to detail, Davis does
not explain how it prejudicially affected the VE’s conclusion concerning jobs existing in
significant numbers in the national economy. Put another way, Davis does not explain what
difference would come about on remand for the RFC to be more exactly stated, let alone that the
VE would come to the conclusion that no suitable jobs exist if the 2-hour reductions to which he
points were included. A technical error absent prejudice does not warrant reversal.
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D. Consultative exam
Finally, Davis argues that the ALJ erred in failing to order a consultative exam. An ALJ
is required to order a consultative examination “only if the medical records presented…do not
give sufficient medical evidence to determine whether the claimant is disabled.” McCoy v.
Astrue, 648 F.3d at 612 (8th Cir. 2011) (citing Conley v. Bowen, 781 F.2d 143, 146 (8th Cir.
1986)). See also Anderson v. Shalala, 51 F.3d 777, 779 (8th Cir. 1995) (ALJ is permitted to issue
a decision without obtaining additional medical evidence so long as other evidence in record
provides sufficient basis for ALJ’s decision).
In Steed v. Astrue, 524 F.3d 872, 876 (8th Cir. 2008), for example, the court held that in
evaluating a claimant’s ability to perform past relevant work, the ALJ was not required to have
developed the record further, when diagnostic tests in the record showed only “mild”
degenerative changes in the claimant’s back and neurologic examinations were normal. A
claimant always bears the burden to prove his RFC. Pearsall, 274 F.3d at 1217. Accordingly, a
claimant’s failure to provide medical evidence reflecting claimed limitations “should not be held
against the ALJ when there is medical evidence that supports the ALJ’s decision.” Steed, 524
F.3d at 876 (citing Goff v. Barnhart, 421 F.3d 785, 791 (8th Cir. 2005)) (emphasis in original).
In this case, the ALJ had sufficient medical evidence to reach the RFC finding. The ALJ
analyzed more than one hundred pages of medical records, containing treatment history,
diagnoses, tests, and examiner’s opinions. [Tr. 17-19, 335-52.] The ALJ considered the medical
evidence of record and determined that Davis’ mental and physical impairments were not as
severe as alleged. [Tr. 17-19, 316-334, 353-432.] The ALJ’s determination was supported by
the non-medical evidence which the ALJ also considered, including Davis’ testimony, which
suggested that Davis’ impairments were not as disabling as claimed. [Tr. 17, 35-57.]
Accordingly, the ALJ was not required to order a consultative exam regarding Plaintiff’s
limitations.
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III.
Conclusion
The Commissioner’s decision is AFFIRMED.
s/ Nanette K. Laughrey
NANETTE K. LAUGHREY
United States District Judge
Dated: August 1, 2014
Jefferson City, Missouri
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