United States District Court, E.D. California
ORDER
CAROLYN K. DELANEY UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Plaintiff
seeks judicial review of a final decision of the Commissioner
of Social Security (“Commissioner”) denying
plaintiff’s application for Supplemental Security
Income (“SSI”) under Title XVI of the Social
Security Act (“Act”). For the reasons discussed
below, the court will deny plaintiff’s motion for
summary judgment and grant the Commissioner’s
cross-motion for summary judgment.
I.
BACKGROUND
Plaintiff,
born September 23, 1964, applied for SSI benefits on June 7,
2012, alleging disability beginning January 1, 2012.
Administrative Transcript (“AT”) 27, 40, 62-63,
72-74, 83, 147-56, 170. Plaintiff alleged she was unable to
work due to high blood pressure, arthritis, gout, and acid
reflux. AT 62. In a decision dated May 30, 2014, the ALJ
determined that plaintiff was not disabled.[1] AT
24-30. The ALJ made the following findings
(citations to 20 C.F.R. omitted):
1. The claimant has not engaged in Substantial Gainful
Activity (SGA) since June 7, 2012, the application date.
2. The claimant has the following severe impairments:
obesity, asthma, left knee disorder, hypertension, and right
shoulder disorder with decreased range of motion, and
disorder of the back.
3. The claimant does not have an impairment or combination of
impairments that meets or medically equals the severity of
one of the listed impairments in 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P,
Appendix 1.
4. After careful consideration of the entire record, the
undersigned finds that the claimant has the Residual
Functional Capacity (RFC) to perform a wide range of light
work as defined in 20 CFR 416.967(b). She can lift and/or
carry 20 pounds occasionally and 10 pounds frequently, stand
and/or walk 4 hours in an 8-hour workday, sit 6 hours in an
8-hour workday, use of left lower extremity for foot control
operation is limited to frequent, never climb ladders, ropes,
or scaffolds, occasionally climb ramps or stairs, crouch, or
kneel, and frequently crawl and reach overhead. In addition,
she must avoid moderate exposure to pulmonary irritants and
poorly ventilated areas.
5. The claimant cannot perform any Past Relevant Work (PRW).
6. The claimant was born on September 23, 1964 and was 47
years old, which is defined as a younger individual age
18-49, on the date the application was filed.
7. The claimant has at least a high school education and is
able to communicate in English.
8. Transferability of job skills is not material to the
determination of disability because using the
Medical-Vocational Rules as a framework supports a finding
that the claimant is “not disabled, ” whether or
not the claimant has transferrable job skills.
9. Considering the claimant’s age, education, work
experience, and Residual Functional Capacity (RFC), there are
jobs that exist in significant numbers in the National
Economy that the claimant can perform.
10. The claimant has not been under a disability, as defined
in the Social Security Act, since June 7, 2012, the date ...