Steven Thomas Deming v. Commissioner, Social Security Administration

── Steven Thomas Deming v. Commissioner, Social Security Administration ── Case No.: 25-10246 Court: Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Date: March 19, 2026 Category: NEW USCA11 Case: 25-10246 Document: 24-1 Date Filed: 03/19/2026 Page: 1 of 10 NOT FOR PUBLICATION In the United States Court of Appeals For the Eleventh Circuit ____________________ No. 25-10246 Non-Argument Calendar ____________________ STEVEN THOMAS DEMING, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus COMMISSIONER, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, Defendant-Appellee. ____________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida D.C. Docket No. 3:23-cv-24650-MJF ____________________ Before ROSENBAUM, LUCK, and LAGOA, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Steven Deming, proceeding pro se on appeal, appeals the dis- trict court’s order affirming the denial of his claim for disability- insurance benefits. Deming argues that the administrative law USCA11 Case: 25-10246 Document: 24-1 Date Filed: 03/19/2026 Page: 2 of 10 2 Opinion of the Court 25-10246 judge (“ALJ”) erred in denying his claim because his medical rec- ords proved that he has a combination of physical and mental con- ditions that render him disabled, as reflected by his 100% combined disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”). Af- ter careful review, we affirm. I. Deming applied for disability benefits in 2021, asserting that he became disabled on August 1, 2017, due to a combination of physical and mental impairments. Deming served in the U.S. Air Force from May 1997 until his honorable discharge in May 2017. The VA has assessed Deming a 100% combined disability rating for various service-related medical conditions. These condi- tions include persistent depressive disorder with anxious stress and major depressive episodes, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right shoulder tendonitis, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. Medical records show that, since his discharge, Deming has sought treatment for various physical and mental impairments, in- cluding back pain and stiffness, plantar fasciitis, atrial fibrillation, depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep apnea, and insomnia. Deming’s pain and stiffness have been treated largely with massage therapy and chiropractic appoint- ments, to positive effect. He takes several prescribed medications for his mental conditions. Deming also reported improvements in his anxiety and ability to sleep from use of medical cannabis, along USCA11 Case: 25-10246 Document: 24-1 Date Filed: 03/19/2026 Page: 3 of 10 25-10246 Opinion of the Court 3 with reductions in use of other medications. Notes from an Octo- ber 2021 appointment with his treating psychiatrist, Dr. James Ig- leburger, reflect “significant improvement” in anxiety and sleep- disorder symptoms. The record includes opinions from several medical profes- sional about the effects of Deming’s conditions. Some opinions, including from Dr. Igleburger, reflected views that Deming had sig- nificant limitations on his ability to work. Other opinions assessed at most moderate limitations on Demin