Laura Cavanaugh v. Martin O'Malley

INTRODUCTION

Laura C. (“Plaintiff”) applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits, alleging disability beginning March 16, 1985. See Dkt. 16, Administrative Record (“AR”) 154-55.1 After being denied initially and on reconsideration, see AR 88-92, 95-99, Plaintiff requested and received a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on January 20, 2018. See AR 37-58, 100-03.

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 January 10, 2019. See AR 19-30. 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 alleged onset date of March 16, 1985 through her date last insured of December 31, 2014. See AR 24. Notwithstanding this finding, the ALJ noted…