Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_12-cv-02390/USCOURTS-azd-2_12-cv-02390-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:405 Review of HHS Decision (SSID)

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Victoria Elsas, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Carolyn W. Colvin, Commissioner of

Social Security, 

Defendant. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV-12-02390-PHX-FJM

ORDER

This is an action for judicial review of a denial of disability insurance benefits and

supplemental security income under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 405(g) and

1383(c). The court has before it plaintiff’s opening brief (doc. 13), defendant’s response

(doc. 20), and plaintiff’s reply (doc. 21). 

The plaintiff argues that the administrative law judge (ALJ) failed to properly weigh

medical source opinion evidence, improperly discounted plaintiff’s subjective complaints,

and erred in applying the Medical-Vocational Guidelines.

We have reviewed the record and conclude that substantial evidence supports the

ALJ’s findings that plaintiff retains the residual functional capacity to perform a limited

range of sedentary work. We also conclude that the ALJ gave sufficiently specific and

legitimate reasons for discounting the opinions of plaintiff’s treating physicians and

discounting the severity of plaintiff’s subjective complaints, based on contradicting medical

Case 2:12-cv-02390-FJM Document 22 Filed 03/04/14 Page 1 of 2
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 2 -

opinions, objective medical evidence, and plaintiff’s daily activities. Finally, the ALJ did

not err in using the Medical Vocational Guidelines as a framework for considering the effect

of plaintiff’s nonexertional limitations. The ALJ’s determination that plaintiff’s

nonexertional limitations would have little or no effect on the occupational base of unskilled

sedentary work is substantially supported by the record. 

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED AFFIRMING the decision of the Commissioner denying benefits.

DATED this 4th day of March, 2014.

Case 2:12-cv-02390-FJM Document 22 Filed 03/04/14 Page 2 of 2