Michael Bailey v. Commissioner of Social Security

INTRODUCTION

In 2016, Michael B. (“Plaintiff’) applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits, alleging disability beginning June 2, 2015. See Dkt. 15, Administrative Record (“AR”) 15.1 After the claim was denied initially and on reconsideration, Plaintiff requested and received a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”). See AR 30-60, 91-95, 98-103.

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 denied Plaintiff’s claim by written decision on February 20, 2019. See AR 12-24. 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 from his alleged onset date of June 2, 2015, through his date last insured of March 31, 2017. See AR 17. At step two, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff had the…