Hall v. Commissioner of Social Security

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
EASTERN DIVISION
JAMES ROBERT HALL,
Plaintiff,
V.
COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL
SECURITY,
Defendant.
CASE NO. I;25-CV-01147
JUDGE DONALD C. NUGENT
ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE
JUDGE'S REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATION
This matter comes before the Court upon the Report and Recommendation of Magistrate
Judge Carmen E. Henderson. The Report and Recommendation (ECF #14), issued on January 5,
2026, is hereby ADOPTED by this Court, without objection.
On June 3,2025, Plaintiff James Robert Hall filed a Complaint in this Court (ECF #1)
challenging the final decision of the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, which
decision denied his application for benefits under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 423 et
seq. (ECF #7, PagelD #322-#332).' The Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") determined that.
Plaintiff (also referred to as "Claimant") filed his application for Disability Insurance
Benefits on April 3,2022. (ECF #7, PagelD #322). The application was denied initially and
upon reconsideration, and he thereafter requested a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.
On February 14, 2024, the hearing was held. (ECF #7, PagelD #337-#363). On March 13, 2024,
the Administrative Law Judge issued a written decision finding that Plaintiff/Claimant Hall was
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while PlaintifCClaimant Hall had a number of severe impairments, "the claimant [Hall] does not
have an impairment or combination of impairments that meet or medically equals the severity of
one of the listed impairments in 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 (20 CFR 404.1520(d),
404.1525, and 404.1526)," and that "the claimant [Hall] has the residual functional capacity to
perform light work as defined in 20 CFR 404.1567(b)," within certain specified limitations as
set forth in the ALJ's decision. (ECF #7, PagelD #324-#327).
Plaintiff/Claimant Mr. Hall claims that the ALJ in his decision: (1) did not properly
apply the criteria of Social Security Ruling ("SSR") 96-8p in considering all of his impairments
and related limitations when forming his residual functional capacity evaluation; (2) failed to
comply with SSR 16-3p in evaluating the totality of his s5nnptoms; and (3) erred in finding that
Mr. Hall could perform work at the light level of exertion, arguing that such finding was not
supported hy substantial evidence. (ECF #10, p.l, PagelD #2070).
The Magistrate Judge to whom this matter was referred pursuant to N.D. Ohio L.R. 3.1
(■See Non-Numbered Docket Entry accompanying ECF #1), Magistrate Judge Carmen
Henderson, found that: (1) the ALJ's decision properly applied SSR 96-8p, as it indicated that
he consideredall of Mr. Hall's impairmentsin crafting the residual functioningcapacity
determination, and that substantial evidence supported the ALJ's decision (ECF #14, pp. 10-11,
PagelD #2122-#2123); (2) the ALJ's decision considered Mr. Hall's symptom allegations in
accordance with SSR 16-3p, and that substantial evidence supports the ALJ's conclusions (ECF
#14, pp.13-14, PagelD #2125-#2126); and (3) the ALJ's decision considered all of Mr. Hall's
not disabled. (ECF #7, PagelD #322-#332). That decision became final on April 7, 2025, when
the Appeals Council declined further review. (ECF #7, PagelD #28-#31).
-2-
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impairments in formulating the residual functional capacity determination, and that substantial
evidence supported the ALJ's decision (ECF #14, p. 15, PagelD #2127).
Based on a full review of the arguments presented, the applicable law, and the record
before the Court, Magistrate Judge Henderson's Report and Recommendation (ECF #14)
recommends that the Court overrule Plaintiff/Claimant Hall's "Legal Claims" set forth as his
statement of errors as found on the opening page of his brief challenging the ALJ's decision, and
to affirm the Commissioner of Social Security's decision as reflected in the ALJ's ruling.
Mr. Hall has not since filed any objections to the Magistrate Judge's January 5, 2026
Report and Recommendation. The Court has reviewed de novo the Report and
Recommendation, see Ohio Citizen Action v. City ofSeven Hills, 35 F. Supp. 2d 575, 577 (N.D.
Ohio 1999), and ADOPTS the Report and Recommendation in its entirety.
The Commissioner's decision denying Mr. Hall's Disability Insurance and Supplemental
Social Security Income is AFFIRMED.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DONALD C. NUGENT
United States District Judge
/'
DATED: _
-3-
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