Source: http://ks.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20140627_0000866.DKS.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-03-25 07:45:16
Document Index: 41977612

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 416', '§ 405', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404']

| Catlin v. Colvin
Catlin v. Colvin
LINDA DARLENE CATLIN, Plaintiff,v.CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Defendant.
Plaintiff seeks review of a decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (hereinafter Commissioner) denying Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits under sections 216(i), 223, 1602, and 1614(a)(3)(A) of the Social Security Act. 42 U.S.C. §§ 416(i), 423, 1381a, and 1382c(a)(3)(A) (hereinafter the Act). Finding error in the Commissioner's evaluation of Plaintiff's mental impairments, the court ORDERS that the decision shall be REVERSED and that judgment shall be entered pursuant to the fourth sentence of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) REMANDING the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Plaintiff applied for SSD and SSI benefits, alleging disability beginning May 14, 2008. (R. 17, 77-83, 518-19). In due course, Plaintiff exhausted proceedings before the Commissioner, and now seeks judicial review of the final decision denying benefits. She alleges the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) erred in numerous respects in evaluating her claim at step four of the Commissioner's five-step sequential evaluation process.
The court finds that remand is necessary because the ALJ applied the incorrect legal standard when evaluating Plaintiff's mental impairments between step three and step four of the sequential evaluation process. This remand requires the Commissioner to reassess RFC, and in doing so she must reconsider each error alleged in Plaintiff's brief. Therefore, it would be premature for the court to address those alleged errors and attempt to provide an advisory opinion in this case. If desired, Plaintiff may address her remaining arguments to the Commissioner on remand.
II. Evaluation of Mental Impairments
Plaintiff argues that in evaluating Plaintiff's mental impairments and in assessing mental RFC limitations the ALJ repeated the psychiatric review technique methodology used at steps two and three of the sequential evaluation process instead of the function-by-function assessment required by Social Security Ruling (SSR) 96-8p. (Pl. Br. 22). She points out that within the portion of his decision assessing RFC, the ALJ applied the Commissioner's psychiatric review technique and found that Plaintiff has mild limitations in social functioning. Id . (citing R. 27). She argues that Dr. Warrender, the state agency psychiatrist who reviewed the record at the initial evaluation, opined that Plaintiff has "Moderate" difficulties in maintaining social functioning, and is "Moderately Limited" in the ability to interact appropriately with the general public. (Pl. Br. 22) (citing R. 284, 289). In further argument, she points out that although Dr. Wilkinson, the psychologist who reviewed the record at the reconsideration evaluation, opined the Plaintiff has only "Mild" difficulties in maintaining social functioning, she also opined that Plaintiff is "Moderately Limited" in the ability to interact appropriately with the general public. Id . (citing R. 451, 456). In conclusion, Plaintiff argues that although the ALJ purported to accord significant weight to the opinions of the state agency psychologists, his RFC assessment regarding social functioning differs from both of these medical sources and he did not acknowledge or explain the reasons for the difference. Id . The Commissioner argues that even though the ALJ accorded significant weight to the opinions of Dr. Warrender and Dr. Wilkinson, he is not obliged to adopt them in every detail. (Comm'r Br. 24) (citing Schmidt v. Astrue , 496 F.3d 833, 845 (7th Cir. 2007); Teneyck v. Astrue, No. 11-1233-JWL, 2012 WL 1901285, at *8 (D. Kan. May 25, 2012)). She points out that the ALJ found no evidence of angry outbursts and that Plaintiff volunteers at a mission involving contact with others, and thereby the Commissioner implies that the ALJ properly discounted Dr. Warrender's and Dr. Wilkinson's opinions regarding restrictions in mental functioning. In her Reply brief, Plaintiff argues that even though the ALJ is not obliged to adopt all of an opinion to which he accords significant weight, he must explain why he assessed a limitation which is different than that opined by a medical source. (Reply 13).
A. Standard for Evaluating Mental Impairments
The Commissioner has promulgated a psychiatric review technique for evaluating mental impairments. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520a, 416.920a. In evaluating the severity of mental impairments at steps two and three of the sequential evaluation process, the technique provides for rating the degree of functional limitation in each of four broad mental functional areas: activities of daily living; social functioning; concentration, persistence, or pace; and episodes of decompensation. Id . §§ 404.1520a(c) 416.920a(c). After rating the degree of limitation in each functional area, the Commissioner determines the severity of plaintiff's mental impairments. Id . §§ 404.1520a(d), 416.920a(d).
When the first three functional areas are rated as "none" or "mild, " and the fourth area is rated as "none, " the agency will conclude at step two of the sequential evaluation process that plaintiff's mental impairments are not severe "unless the evidence otherwise indicates that there is more than a minimal limitation in [plaintiff's] ability to do basic work activities." Id . §§ 404.1520a(d)(1), 416.920a(d)(1). If a claimant's mental impairments are severe at step two, the technique requires an evaluation at step three of whether the impairment(s) meets or equals a listed impairment by comparing the step two findings and the medical evidence with the criteria of the listings. Id . §§ 404.1520a(d)(2), ...