Mark E. Allen v. Leland Dudek

Summary

The United States District Court for the Central District of California reviews the denial of Mark E. Allen’s application for supplemental security income. The court holds that the Administrative Law Judge’s residual functional capacity assessment was supported by substantial evidence and that the ALJ gave legally sufficient reasons for discounting Plaintiff’s subjective complaints. The court therefore rejects Plaintiff’s challenge to the Commissioner’s decision.

Holdings

1. The ALJ's conclusion that Plaintiff could perform a limited range of light work and could perform jobs existing in significant numbers in the national economy was supported by substantial evidence and was not materially legally erroneous.
2. The ALJ did not materially err in discounting Plaintiff's subjective complaints because the ALJ provided sufficiently specific, permissible reasons supported by the record, including inconsistency with objective medical evidence, conservative or limited treatment, and evidence that medication controlled or improved symptoms.

Questions Presented

1. Whether substantial evidence supported the ALJ's residual-functional-capacity finding and conclusion that Plaintiff could perform work existing in significant numbers in the national economy.
2. Whether the ALJ provided legally sufficient reasons for discounting Plaintiff's subjective testimony and statements concerning the intensity, persistence, and limiting effects of his symptoms.

Disposition

dismissed