Beardsley v. Colvin

Record failed to support ALJ’s denial of claimant’s application for Social Security disability benefits, where ALJ rejected agency’s examining physician to conclude that plaintiff could perform range of light work that was sufficient to defeat her claim. ALJ erred in rejecting claimant’s contention that she could perform only limited daily activities where ALJ found that said claims could not be objectively verified. Moreover, fact that claimant could provide assistance to her mother did not require different result. Also, ALJ did not provide valid explanation for discounting opinion of agency examining physician, and ALJ could not penalize claimant for not undergoing recommended surgery without determining claimant’s reason for not doing so.