Michigan District Court Reverses ALJ

October 8, 2015. A claimant with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, bipolar disorder, and anxiety was denied benefits. The ALJ assigned little weight to the claimant’s treating physician, who opined that the claimant was limited in sitting, standing, walking, lifting, fingering, reaching, handling, and lifting, and that she would be absent from any job often. Instead, the ALJ found the claimant had little to no limitations in these areas and could perform light work. The district court reversed, holding that the ALJ’s RFC determination was not based on medical evidence.