Opinion ID: 3178944
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Opinion of Whitton’s Treating Psychiatrist

Text: Whitton argues that the ALJ did not give proper weight to the opinion of her treating psychiatrist, Dr. Grant, and instead substituted his own opinion for that of Dr. Grant. Whitton’s case record includes a November 2012 mental health source statement completed by Dr. Grant, in which he opined that Whitton had marked and extreme limitations in all areas of understanding and memory, sustained concentration and persistence, social interaction, and adaptation. In a disability questionnaire also dated November 2012, Dr. Grant concluded that Whitton was disabled, that the disability began before March 2012, and that the disability was based on the following impairments: a diminished mental capacity, an inability to cope with daily stressors, and severe recurrent depression. Dr. Grant also stated that Whitton exhibited “agoraphobic behaviors” and her mental health issues were of “such intensity” that it made it difficult for her to cope with the activities of 7 Case: 15-12357 Date Filed: 02/12/2016 Page: 8 of 12 daily life. The ALJ gave no weight to Dr. Grant’s opinion because it was inconsistent with the other evidence in the record, including Dr. Grant’s treatment notes, and because the report and questionnaire were dated long after the date Whitton was last insured. We conclude that substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s articulation of good cause for giving no weight to Dr. Grant’s opinion that Whitton was severely limited in all areas of functioning. First, Dr. Grant did not treat Whitton during the relevant time period, as Whitton did not begin receiving treatment from him until March 2012, which was more than one year after her date last insured—December 31, 2010. See 42 U.S.C. § 423(a)(1)(A), (c)(1); Moore, 405 F.3d at 1211 (providing that a claimant must demonstrate disability on or before the date last insured to demonstrate eligibility for disability insurance benefits). Although Dr. Grant stated that Whitton had suffered from moderate depression for 15 years and listed her disability onset date as before March 22, 2012, he never evaluated the severity of her conditions during the relevant time period. Even if Dr. Grant’s opinion applied to the relevant time period, good cause still existed for assigning no weight to his opinion. In particular, Dr. Grant’s own treatment notes contradicted his opinion that Whitton was severely depressed and had marked or extreme limitations in all areas of functioning. See Phillips, 357 F.3d at 1241. His treatment notes from June 2012 show that Whitton’s insight and 8 Case: 15-12357 Date Filed: 02/12/2016 Page: 9 of 12 judgment were fair, her thought process was logical, her thought content was within the normal limits, and she exhibited appropriate behavior. Likewise, in his notes from December 2012—only one month after opining that Whitton had marked or extreme limitations in all functioning areas—Dr. Grant indicated that Whitton’s sleep patterns, attention and concentration, appetite, and energy had all improved. The ALJ’s decision to give no weight to Dr. Grant’s opinion is also supported by other evidence in the record. Although the record contains limited evidence related to Whitton’s treatment from before the date she was last insured, the evidence that is in the record indicates that she received treatment at Quality of Life Health Services, Inc. in October 2010, and reported no issues with memory, interaction, or concentration. In a subsequent visit in November 2010, Whitton presented with normal affect, insight, judgment, attention span, and concentration, and reported no issues with memory. Additionally, Dr. Grant’s opinion conflicted with Whitton’s own description of her daily activities. See Phillips, 357 F.3d at 1241. Although Dr. Grant opined that the severity of Whitton’s mental health issues severely limited her daily life activities, Whitton stated on her application for disability benefits that she cooks breakfast, washes dishes, makes the bed, mops the floor, and gives her husband shots and takes him to doctor’s appointments. She also testified that she drove to 9 Case: 15-12357 Date Filed: 02/12/2016 Page: 10 of 12 the disability hearing, which was a 45-minute drive from her home, and handled most of the family’s finances. We therefore reject Whitton’s contentions on appeal that the ALJ substituted his own opinion for that of Dr. Grant, as the record shows that the ALJ considered all of the medical evidence, clearly articulated reasons for rejecting Dr. Grant’s opinion, and those reasons are supported by substantial evidence. See Sryock v. Heckler, 764 F.2d 834, 835 (11th Cir. 1985) (stating that “the ALJ is free to reject the opinion of any physician when the evidence supports a contrary conclusion”). Based on the inconsistencies between Dr. Grant’s opinion and the record, including Dr. Grant’s own treatment notes, the ALJ had good cause for assigning no weight to the opinion.