Gary L. L. v. Kijakazi

Background

Gary L. L. sought review of a Social Security Administration decision. The matter came before the district court on a magistrate judge’s Report and Recommendation dated October 11, 2023. The recommendation addressed the administrative law judge’s assessment of the plaintiff’s residual functional capacity, which is the most the plaintiff could do despite his limitations, and the treatment of medical opinions from Jenny Bliss, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

Analysis

The magistrate judge found no error in the administrative law judge’s formulation of the plaintiff’s ability to have contact with the public. But she found that the administrative law judge’s rejection of Bliss’s medical opinions as unpersuasive was not supported by substantial evidence, meaning adequate evidence in the record to support the decision. No objections were filed, so the district court reviewed the recommendation for clear error and agreed with its analysis.

Ruling

The court accepted the Report and Recommendation. It granted the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment in part, denied the Commissioner’s motion for summary judgment, and remanded the case to the Commissioner under sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) for further administrative proceedings consistent with the recommendation. The order did not decide that the plaintiff was entitled to benefits.

Disposition

The plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment was GRANTED IN PART. The defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment was DENIED. The case was REMANDED for further administrative proceedings.