Manuel Henry Gutierrez v. Nancy A. Berryhill

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff filed an application for DIB on April 22, 2014, alleging disability beginning August 10, 2012. See Dkt. 16, Administrative Record (“AR”) 263-64, 305. After being denied initially and on reconsideration, Plaintiff requested a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”). See

1 The Court partially redacts Plaintiff’s name in compliance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c)(2)(B) and the recommendation of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management of the Judicial Conference of the United States. AR 133-34. A hearing was held on April 13, 2017, at which Plaintiff, an impartial medical expert (“ME”), and an impartial vocational expert (“VE”) testified. See AR 60-98. A supplemental hearing was held on July 20, 2017, at which Plaintiff and an impartial VE testified. See AR 42-59. On August 10, 2017, the ALJ issued a written decision finding Plaintiff not disabled under the Social Security Act. See AR 20-34. The ALJ found that Plaintiff had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since his onset date. See AR 25. The ALJ next found that Plaintiff had the severe impairments of “degenerative disc disease/spinal disorder of the lumbar and…