(SS) Helm v. Commissioner of Social Security

I. INTRODUCTION

19 On July 17, 2019, Plaintiff Gregory George Helm (“Plaintiff”) filed a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) seeking judicial review of a final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (the “Commissioner” or “Defendant”) denying his application for disability insurance benefits (“DIB”) under Title II of the Social Security Act (the “Act”). The matter is currently before the Court on the parties’ briefs, which were submitted, without oral argument, to the Honorable Sheila K. Oberto, United States Magistrate Judge.1 26

1 The parties consented to the jurisdiction of a U.S. Magistrate Judge. (Docs. 4, 6.) 1 On July 31, 2015, Plaintiff protectively filed an application for DIB payments, alleging he became disabled on April 2, 2014 due to “[t]rigger finger on 5 fingers,” “sharp stabbing pains in . . . left wrist,” “unable to kneel, tibia vara left knee, quadriceps rt knee,” “degenerative disk disease in back,” “right shoulder torn rotary cuff,” “heel spurs,” arthritis, “borderline diabetic,” and high blood pressure. (Administrative Record (“AR”) 15, 63.) Plaintiff was born on January 26, 1964 and was…