Cathy Ann Bennett v. Nancy A. Berryhill

BACKGROUND

Cathy B. (“Plaintiff”) applied for Supplemental Security Income on August 10, 2011, alleging disability beginning January 1, 2009. See Dkt. 17, Administrative Record (“AR”) 115-22.1 The claim was denied initially on November 2, 2011, and upon reconsideration on October 30, 2012. See AR 36- 45, 70-74. Plaintiff then received a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on November 20, 2013. See AR 26-35. On January 15, 2014, the ALJ issued an unfavorable decision. See AR 7-25.

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. On March 18, 2016, the District Court, after a stipulation between the parties, remanded the matter back to the agency. See AR 519-28. On remand, the Appeals Council directed the ALJ to: (1) further evaluate Plaintiff’s subjective complaints and symptoms; (2) evaluate the third-party statement of Plaintiff’s friend; (3) give further consideration to Plaintiff’s residual functional capacity (“RFC”); and (4) obtain evidence from a vocational expert…