Melissa D. Striegel v. Commissioner of Social Security Administration

Summary

The United States District Court for the District of Arizona reviewed the denial of Melissa D. Striegel’s application for Social Security benefits. The court held that the Administrative Law Judge did not provide legally sufficient, specific, clear, and convincing reasons for discounting Striegel’s symptom testimony concerning mood instability and crying spells. The court reversed the ALJ’s decision and remanded the matter for further proceedings.

Holdings

1. The ALJ failed to provide legally sufficient specific, clear, and convincing reasons for discounting Plaintiff's testimony regarding mood instability and crying spells because the ALJ's findings concerning the frequency of Plaintiff's crying, the effectiveness of treatment, and the significance of her daily activities were factually inaccurate, unsupported, or insufficiently explained.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the ALJ provided legally sufficient specific, clear, and convincing reasons for rejecting Plaintiff's testimony concerning mood instability and crying spells.
2. Whether the ALJ's reliance on inconsistency with the medical evidence, effectiveness of medication, and daily activities was supported by the record.

Disposition

reversed_and_remanded