(SS) Mauldin v. Commissioner of Social Security

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 CLAY MAULDIN, No. 2:18-cv-02858 CKD Plaintiff, v. ORDER & ANDREW SAUL, Commissioner of Social FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Security, 15 Defendant.

17 Plaintiff seeks judicial review of a final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (“Commissioner”) denying an application for disability benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act (“Act”). For the reasons discussed below, the undersigned will recommend that plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment be granted and the Commissioner’s cross-motion for summary judgment be denied. BACKGROUND Plaintiff, born in 1963, filed a Title II application on September 9, 2015 for disability and disability insurance benefits, alleging disability beginning February 23, 2009. Administrative Transcript (“AT”) 15, 21. Plaintiff alleged he was unable to work due to neck injury, back injury, left elbow surgery, hernia surgeries, bilateral carpal tunnel surgery, right shoulder…