Source: http://pa.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20190820_0000991.WPA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-11-22 07:46:23
Document Index: 69523959

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 405', '§ 401', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 423', '§ 404']

FindACase™ | Ressler v. Commissioner of Social Security
Ressler v. Commissioner of Social Security
DAVID W. RESSLER, Plaintiff,
AND NOW, this 20th day of August, 2019, upon consideration of Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 11) filed in the above-captioned matter on September 14, 2018, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that said Motion is DENIED.
AND, further, upon consideration of Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 9) filed in the above-captioned matter on August 16, 2018, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that said Motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. Specifically, Plaintiff's Motion is granted to the extent that it seeks a remand to the Commissioner of Social Security (“Commissioner”) for further evaluation as set forth below, and denied in all other respects. Accordingly, this matter is hereby remanded to the Commissioner for further evaluation under sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) in light of this Order.
Plaintiff, David W. Ressler, filed a claim for Disability Insurance Benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act (the “Act”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 401-434, effective July 28, 2014, claiming that he became disabled on July 3, 2014, due to stomach problems, anxiety, asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure. (R. 11, 139-45, 162). After being denied initially on January 6, 2015, Plaintiff sought, and obtained, a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on January 4, 2017. (R. 33-64, 71-74, 131). In a decision dated February 1, 2017, the ALJ denied Plaintiff's request for benefits. (R. 11-22). The Appeals Council declined to review the ALJ's decision on February 9, 2018. (R. 1-4). Plaintiff filed a timely appeal with this Court, and the parties have filed cross-motions for summary judgment.
The Social Security Administration has promulgated regulations incorporating a five-step sequential evaluation process for determining whether a claimant is under a disability as defined by the Act. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520. In Step One, the Commissioner must determine whether the claimant is currently engaging in substantial gainful activity. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(i). If so, the disability claim will be denied. See Bowen v. Yuckert, 482 U.S. 137, 140 (1987). If not, the second step of the process is to determine whether the claimant is suffering from a severe impairment. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(ii). “An impairment or combination of impairments is not severe if it does not significantly limit [the claimant's] physical or mental ability to do basic work activities.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.1522. If the claimant fails to show that his or her impairments are “severe," he or she is ineligible for disability benefits. If the claimant does have a severe impairment, however, the Commissioner must proceed to Step Three and determine whether the claimant's impairment meets or equals the criteria for a listed impairment. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(iii). If a claimant meets a listing, a finding of disability is automatically directed. If the claimant does not meet a listing, the analysis proceeds to Steps Four and Five.
In his February 1, 2017 decision, the ALJ found that Plaintiff met the insured requirements of the Social Security Act through December 31, 2019. (R. 13). Accordingly, to be eligible for DIB benefits, Plaintiff had to establish that he was disabled on or before that date. See 42 U.S.C. §§ 423(a)(1)(A), (c)(1)(B); 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.101, .110, .131.
The ALJ then proceeded to apply the sequential evaluation process when reviewing Plaintiff's claim for benefits. In particular, the ALJ found that Plaintiff had not been engaged in substantial gainful activity since the alleged onset date of July 3, 2014. (R. 13). The ALJ also found that Plaintiff met the second requirement of the sequential evaluation process insofar as he has the severe impairments of type II diabetes mellitus, lyme disease, chronic pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, vitamin B-12 deficiency, iron deficiency, anemia, and anxiety. (R. 13). The ALJ found that Plaintiff's hypertension, high cholesterol, restless leg syndrome, hyperlipidemia, and high ...