Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-01170/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-01170-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:0405id Review of HHS Decision (SSID)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RORY THOMAS REMER,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 17cv1170 JM(WVG)

ORDER ADOPTING REPORT AND

RECOMMENDATION RE:

DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION

FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND

GRANTING DEFENDANT’S CROSS

MOTION FOR SUMMARY

JUDGMENT

vs.

NANCY A. BERRYHILL, Commissioner of

Social Security,

Defendant.

Plaintiff Rory Thomas Remer has filed Objections to Magistrate Judge William

V. Gallo’s Report and Recommendation Denying Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary

Judgment and Granting Defendant’s Cross Motion for Summary Judgment (“R & R”). 

The Government did not file a response to the Objections.

Plaintiff contends that the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in the underlying

action failed to fully credit Plaintiff’s “limitation of superficial interaction with

coworkers orsupervisors.” (Objections at p.2:12-13). Plaintiff acknowledges that the

ALJ found that “Remer has some limitation in the ability to interact with coworkers

and supervisors and significant limitationsin the ability to interact with the public. AR

38.” (Objections at 3:11-13). The court overrules the Objections because the record

reveals that the ALJ considered relevant evidence and articulated reasons for not fully

crediting this testimony.

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The ALJ specifically addressed Plaintiff’s ability to interact with coworkers and

supervisors: 

In June 2014, psychological consultative examiner DanWhitehead, PhD.,

opined the claimant has no limitation in the ability to understand, carry

out, and remember simple instructions. Dr. Whitehead opined the

claimant has no significant impairment in his ability to deal with changes

in a routine work setting. These opinions of Dr. Whitehead are given

significant weight because he is an accepted medical source who

examined the claimant directly and his conclusions are consistent with the

bulk of the evidence in the record. Further, Dr. Whitehead opined the

claimant has no impairment in his ability to respond appropriately to

co-workers, supervisors, and the public (id). This opinion is given less

weight because the bulk of the evidence in the record, including the

claimant's testimony at hearing, shows the claimant has some limitations

in his ability to interact with co-workers and supervisors and significant

limitations in his ability to interact appropriately with the general public.

(AR 38). In other words, the ALJ considered that Plaintiff has “some limitations,” but

not severe, in his ability to interact with others but concluded, based upon the totality

of the record, that Plaintiff has the residual functional capacity to perform medium

work, with limitations on standing, walking, climbing, nonpublic routine tasks,

interaction with coworkers and supervisors, noise levels, and exposure to pulmonary

irritants. (AR 33-41). Further, the record supports the ALJ’s finding that the severity

of Plaintiff’s impairments, either alone or in combination with Plaintiff’s other

impairments, did not satisfy the listed impairments in 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P,

Appx 1, or otherwise limit Plaintiff’s residual functional capacity to perform medium

work, as so limited. (AR 32-39). Accordingly, the court denies the Objections.

In sum, the court denies the Objections and adopts the R & R in is entirety.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: August 9, 2018

 Hon. Jeffrey T. Miller

 United States District Judge

cc: All parties

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