Selvia Hanna v. Nancy A. Berryhill

District Court, C.D. California·Decided October 21, 2019·No. 5:18-cv-01988·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA ) SELVIA HANNA, ) Case No. EDCV 18-01988-JEM ) Plaintiff, ) ) MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER v. ) AFFIRMING DECISION OF THE ) COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY ANDREW M. SAUL, ) Commissioner of Social Security, ) ) Defendant. ) ) On September 18, 2018, Selvia Hanna (“Plaintiff” or “Claimant”) filed a complaint seeking review of the decision by the Commissioner of Social Security (“Commissioner”) denying Plaintiff’s application for Supplemental Security Income benefits. (Dkt. 1.) The Commissioner filed an Answer on December 21, 2018. (Dkt. 14.) On March 26, 2019, the parties filed a Joint Stipulation (“JS”). (Dkt. 19.) The matter is now ready for decision. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), both parties consented to proceed before this Magistrate Judge. After reviewing the pleadings, transcripts, and administrative record (“AR”), the Court concludes that the Commissioner’s decision must be affirmed and this case dismissed with prejudice. Plaintiff is a 40 year-old female who applied for Supplemental Security Income on November 4, 2014, alleging disability beginning December 1, 2000. (AR 15.) The ALJ determined that Plaintiff has not engaged in substantial gainful activity since November 4, 2014, the application date. (AR 17.) Plaintiff’s claim was denied initially on February 27, 2015, and on reconsideration on August 31, 2015. (AR 15.) Plaintiff filed a timely request for hearing, which was held before Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) Paula M. Martin on June 26, 2017, in Moreno Valley, California. (AR 15.) Plaintiff appeared and testified at the hearing and was represented by counsel. (AR 15.) Vocational expert (“VE”) Susan L. Allison also appeared and testified at the hearing. (AR 15.) The ALJ issued an unfavorable decision on September 28, 2017. (AR 15-26.) The Appeals Council denied review on July 27, 2018. (AR 1-3.) As reflected in the Joint Stipulation, Plaintiff raises the following disputed issues as grounds for reversal and remand: 1. Whether the ALJ properly considered the applicability of Listing 14.02. 2. Whether the ALJ conducted a proper residual functional capacity assessment. 3. Whether the ALJ properly considered the consultative examiner’s opinion. Under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), this Court reviews the ALJ’s decision to determine whether the ALJ’s findings are supported by substantial evidence and free of legal error. Smolen v. Chater, 80 F.3d 1273 , 1279 (9th Cir. 1996); see also DeLorme v. Sullivan, 924 F.2d 841, 846 (9th Cir. 1991) (ALJ’s disability determination must be supported by substantial evidence and based on the proper legal standards). Substantial evidence means “‘more than a mere scintilla,’ but less than a preponderance.” Saelee v. Chater, 94 F.3d 520, 521-22 (9th Cir. 1996) (quoting Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 401 (1971)). Substantial evidence is “such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Richardson, 402 U.S. at 401 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). This Court must review the record as a whole and consider adverse as well as supporting evidence. Robbins v. Soc. Sec. Admin., 466 F.3d 880, 882 (9th Cir. 2006). Where evidence is susceptible to more than one rational interpretation, the ALJ’s decision must be upheld. Morgan v. Comm’r of the Soc. Sec. Admin., 169 F.3d 595, 599 (9th Cir. 1999). “However, a reviewing court must consider the entire record as a whole and may not affirm simply by isolating a ‘specific quantum of supporting evidence.’” Robbins, 466 F.3d at 882 (quoting Hammock v. Bowen, 879 F.2d 498, 501 (9th Cir. 1989)); see also Orn v. Astrue, 495 F.3d 625, 630 (9th Cir. 2007). The Social Security Act defines disability as the “inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or . . . can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.” 42 U.S.C. §§ 423(d)(1)(A), 1382c(a)(3)(A). The Commissioner has established a five-step sequential process to determine whether a claimant is disabled. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520, 416.920. The first step is to determine whether the claimant is presently engaging in substantial gainful activity. Parra v. Astrue, 481 F.3d 742, 746 (9th Cir. 2007). If the claimant is engaging in substantial gainful activity, disability benefits will be denied. Bowen v. Yuckert, 482 U.S. 137, 140 (1987). Second, the ALJ must determine whether the claimant has a severe impairment or combination of impairments. Parra, 481 F.3d at 746. An impairment is not severe if it does not significantly limit the claimant’s ability to work. Smolen, 80 F.3d at 1290. Third, the ALJ must determine whether the impairment is listed, or equivalent to an impairment listed, in 20 C.F.R. Pt. 404, Subpt. P, Appendix I of the regulations. Parra, 481 F.3d at 746. If the impairment meets or equals one of the listed impairments, the claimant is presumptively disabled. Bowen, 482 U.S. at 141. Fourth, the ALJ must determine whether the impairment prevents the claimant from doing past relevant work. Pinto v. Massanari, 249 F.3d 840, 844-45 (9th Cir. 2001). Before making the step four determination, the ALJ first must determine the claimant’s residual functional capacity (“RFC”). 20 C.F.R. § 416.920(e). The RFC is “the most [one] can still do despite [his or her] limitations” and represents an assessment “based on all the relevant evidence.” 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1545(a)(1), 416.945(a)(1). The RFC must consider all of the claimant’s impairments, including those that are not severe. 20 C.F.R. §§ 416.920(e), 416.945(a)(2); Social Security Ruling (“SSR”) 96-8p. If the claimant cannot perform his or her past relevant work or has no past relevant work, the ALJ proceeds to the fifth step and must determine whether the impairment prevents the claimant from performing any other substantial gainful activity. Moore v. Apfel, 216 F.3d 864, 869 (9th Cir. 2000). The claimant bears the burden of proving steps one through four, consistent with the general rule that at all times the burden is on the claimant to establish his or her entitlement to benefit

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Selvia Hanna v. Nancy A. Berryhill, (C.D. Cal. 2019).

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Related

Richardson v. Perales
402 U.S. 389 (Supreme Court, 1971)
Bowen v. Yuckert
482 U.S. 137 (Supreme Court, 1987)
United States v. Solares
236 F.3d 24 (First Circuit, 2000)
Shah v. Mukasey
533 F.3d 25 (First Circuit, 2008)
Molina v. Astrue
674 F.3d 1104 (Ninth Circuit, 2012)
Robbins v. Social Security Administration
466 F.3d 880 (Ninth Circuit, 2006)