Rebecca Lynn Stacy v. Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of SSA

Summary

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky affirmed the Commissioner of Social Security’s decision denying Rebecca Lynn Stacy’s claim for disability benefits for the period from July 1, 2017, through June 12, 2022. The court held that the Administrative Law Judge adequately evaluated the supportability and consistency of Dr. Cristi Hundley’s opinion and the state agency medical opinions, and that the residual functional capacity determination was supported by substantial evidence.

Holdings

1. The ALJ adequately considered the supportability and consistency of Dr. Hundley's opinion, including the opinions that Stacy had marked limitations in workplace interaction and handling typical work-related stress.
2. The ALJ adequately evaluated the state-agency opinions and was not required to articulate how he considered every individual finding from those medical sources.
3. The ALJ complied with the Appeals Council's directives to reconsider the medical-source opinions and the maximum residual functional capacity and to provide supporting rationale with references to the record.
4. The ALJ's determination that Stacy was not disabled from July 1, 2017, through June 12, 2022, was supported by substantial evidence and applied proper legal standards.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the ALJ adequately evaluated the supportability and consistency of Dr. Cristi Hundley's medical opinion under the Social Security regulations.
2. Whether the ALJ adequately evaluated the supportability and consistency of the state-agency medical opinions.
3. Whether the ALJ complied with the Appeals Council's remand directives concerning consideration of medical opinions and the residual functional capacity.
4. Whether substantial evidence supported the ALJ's finding that Stacy was not disabled from July 1, 2017, through June 12, 2022.

Disposition

affirmed