Kenneth Flees v. Commissioner of Social Security

INTRODUCTION

Kenneth F. (“Plaintiff”) applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits and Supplemental Security Income in 2016, alleging disability beginning August 2, 2015. See Dkt. 17-2, Administrative Record (“AR”) 49- 50, 61-62, 73-74.1 After being denied, see AR 77-81, Plaintiff received a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) that took place on September 11, 2018. See AR 31-48.

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 dated October 24, 2018. See AR 15-25. 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 through his date last insured of December 31, 2020. See AR 17. At step two, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff…