Brian Rhodes v. Andrew Saul

INTRODUCTION

Brian R. (“Plaintiff”) filed an application for Supplemental Security Income on November 16, 2016, alleging disability beginning November 1, 2013. See Dkt. 16, Administrative Record (“AR”) 258-71.1 After being denied benefits initially and on reconsideration, see AR 103, 115, Plaintiff requested and received a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on November 28, 2018, see AR 41-91.

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.

Additionally, all citations to the AR are to the record pagination. All other docket citations are to the CM/ECF pagination. The ALJ issued an unfavorable decision on February 14, 2019. See AR 14-36. The ALJ followed the five-step sequential evaluation process for determining whether an individual is disabled. At step one, the ALJ found that Plaintiff had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since the application date. See AR 19. At step two, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff had the severe impairments of “cervical strain and…