T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3. NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T K I M BER TA Y LO R, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. M I C H A E L J . A S T R U E , C om m i s s i one rof S oc i a l S e c ur i ty A dm i ni s tr a t i on, D ef

endant- A pp el l ee . N o. 09- 35510 D. C . No . 6 : 0 8 - c v - 0 0 2 3 0 - AA ME MOR AN DU M *

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt

f orthe D i s tr i c tof

O r e gon A nn L . A i ke n, C hi e f

D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d J une 7, 2010

P ort l a nd, O r e gon B efo re: H A L L , F E RN A N D E Z , an d M cK E O W N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. K i m ber T ay l or (“ T ay l or”) appeal s f rom a j ud gm entof the di stri ctcourt af fi rm i ng a dec i si on of the C om m i ss i on erof S oci al S ec uri ty ( “ C om m i ss i on er ”) d e n y in g h e rap p lic a tio n f o rS u p p le m e n ta l S e c u r ityI n c o m e ( “S S I ” ) d is ab ility b e n e f its p u r s u a n t to T itle X V I o f th e S o c ia l S e c u r ityA c t ( “th e A c t” ) . 

# FI LED JU L 06 2010 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALSA l tho ug h the A L J a l so foun d atS t ep F ou r thatT ay l or has the re si du al 1 funct i on al capaci ty ( “ R F C ”) t o p er form her “ pastre l evantw ork” as a m ai l sort er , the C om m i ss i on erconcedes thatfi nd i ng w as no tsupp ort ed by subst ant i al evi dence.

- 2- T he di s tr i c tc ourtha d j ur i s di c t i on pur s ua ntt o 42 U . S . C . § 405( g) . W e ha ve j u r i s d i c t i o n p u r s u a n tt o 2 8 U . S. C. § 1 2 9 1 . W e a f f i rm. I. B e c aus e the pa rt i e s a r e f a m i l i a rw i th the f

a c tua l a nd pr oc e dur a l hi s t oryof thi s c a s e , w e w i l l notr e c ounti the r e e xc e pta s ne c e s s a ryt o ourdi s pos i t i on of the c la im s o f e rr o rr a is e d o n ap p e a l. II. T ay l or ra i se s num er ou s c l ai m s of e rr or as t o the C om m i ss i on er ’ s f i nd i ng s a t S t e ps T w o, T hr e e , a nd F i ve of the f i ve - s t e p s e que nt i a l e va l ua t i on pr oc e s s tha ts he i s not“ di s abl e d” w i thi n the m e a ni ng of the A c t . T he f

i na l de c i s i on of

the 1 C om m i s s i one r( he r e , tha tof the A L J ) m us tbe a f

f i rm e d i f i ti s s upport e d by s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e a n d th e c o rr e c t le g a l s ta n d a r d s w e r e ap p lie d . See B at son v. C om m ’ rSoc . Se c . A dm i n. , 3 5 9 F .3 d 1 1 9 0 , 1 1 9 3 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) . A. A tS t ep T w o , th e A L J w as req u i red t o d et erm i n e w h eth er T ayl o r h as a m e d ic a llyd e te rm in ab le im p a irm e n t o rc o m b in a tio n o f im p a irm e n ts th a t is- 3-

“ s e ve r e . ” 20 C . F . R . § 416. 920( c ) . A n i m pa i rm e nti s not“ s e ve r e ” i f i tdoe s not s ig n if ic a n tlylim it h e rab ilityto d o b a s ic w o rka c tiv itie s . I d. , § 4 1 6 .9 2 1 ( a ) . T h e C o m m is s io n e rd o e s n o t d is p u te th a t T a y lo rh a s m e d ic a llyd e te rm in ab le m e nt a l i m pa i rm e nt s , a s c onf i rm e d bytw o non- tr e a t i ng D i s abi l i tyD e t e rm i na t i on S ervi ce s ( “ D D S ”) psyc ho l og i st s, w ho op i ned— i n sub st ant i al agre em entw i th h er pri m ary tre at i ng ph ys i ci an and a consul t i ng psyc ho l og i stw ho exam i ned h er— that sh e su ffers fro m d ep ressi v e an d an x i ety d i so rd ers. T h e C o m m i ssi o n er co n t en d s, h o we v e r , th a ts u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e s u p p o rt s th e AL J ’ s f i n d i n g a tS t e p T wo o f o n ly“n o n - s e v e r e ” im p a irm e n ts . W e a g r e e . In part i cul ar , a bod y of l ar gel y und i sput ed evi dence s up po rt s the fi nd i ng that T a y l or ’ s m e nt a l i m pa i rm e nt s r e s pond w e l l t o tr e a tm e ntw i th a nt i - de pr e s s a nta nd an t i -an x i ety m ed i cat i o n s, an d m ed i cat i o n u sed t o treatatt en t i o n d efi ci td i so rd ers, s o l ong a s s he c om pl i e s w i th he rtr e a tm e ntpl a n. “ I m pa i rm e nt s tha tc a n be c ontr ol l e d e f

f e c t i ve l y w i th m e di c a t i on a r e notdi s abl i ng f orthe purpos e of det erm i ni ng el i gi bi l i ty f or S S I benefi t s. ” W

arr e v . C om m ’ rof

Soc . Se c . A dm i n. , 43 9 F . 3d 10 01 , 10 06 (9th C i r. 20 06 ). T he r e i s a l s o s ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e f r om ava r i e tyof

s our c e s — i nc l udi ng the D D S psyc ho l og i st s’ op i ni on s thather m ent al i m pai rm ent s r es ul ti n n o m ore than

“ m i l d” funct i on all i m i t at i on s w hen the ef fe ct s of drug and al coho l abuse are- 4-

excl ud ed, T ay l or’ s ow n and her f ri end’ s r eport s of herdai l y a ct i vi t i es si nce her a l l e ge d da t e of

ons e t , a nd r e c or ds of

the O r e gon V oc a t i ona l R e habi l i t a t i on D i vi s i on (“ V R D ”)

— thatdi re ct l y s up po rt s the A L J’ s f i nd i ng thatT ay l or’ s i m pai rm ent s are no t“ se vere . ” I n add i t i on , there i s s ub st ant i al evi dence thatT ay l or and h ercare g iv e rh a v e e x a g g e r a te d th e e x te n t to w h ic h h e rm e n ta l im p a irm e n ts lim it h e rab ility t o w ork, and the as se ss m ent s of the se veri ty of herm ent al i m pai rm ent s f rom her tre at i ng ph ys i ci an and the exam i ni ng psyc ho l og i star e bas ed pri m ar i l y on h er di s c r e di t e d s e l f

- r e port i ng. T he A L Jpr ope r l yr e j e c t e d the l a tt e ropi ni ons by pr ovi di ng s pe c i f

i c , l e gi t i m a t e r e a s ons f

ordoi ng s o tha tw e r e s upport e d by s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e . See B a yl iss v. B a rn h a rt , 42 7 F . 3d 12 11 , 12 16 (9th C i r. 20 05 ).

B. A tS t e p T hr e e , the A L Jw a s r e qui r e d t o de t e rm i ne w he the rT a y l orha s a ny im p a irm e n t o rc o m b in a tio n o f im p a irm e n ts th a t m e e ts o re q u a ls th o s e im p a irm e n ts l i s t e d i n 20 C . F . R . P a rt404, S ubpa rtP , A ppe ndi x 1. I n e va l ua t i ng w he the rT a y l or has s uch a “ l i st ed” di sabl i ng cond i t i on , the A L J w as re qu i re d t o con si der w hether he rm e nt a l i m pa i rm e nt s m e e tthe s o- c a l l e d “ B c r i t e r i a ” : ( 1) m a rke d r e s tr i c t i on of a c t i vi t i e s of

da i l y l i vi ng; ( 2) m a rke d di f f i c ul t i e s i n m a i nt a i ni ng s oc i a l f unc t i oni ng; ( 3) m a rke d di f

f i c ul t i e s i n m a i nt a i ni ng c onc e ntr a t i on, pe r s i s t e nc e , orpa c e ; or( 4) r e p e a te d e p is o d e s o f

d e c o m p e n s a tio n . Id ., § 1 2 .0 0 ( C ) . I f T a y lo r ’s im p a irm e n ts- 5-

m e e t th e B c r ite r ia , th e A L Jw a s r e q u ir e d to f in d h e rd is ab le d . 2 0 C .F .R . § 416. 920( a ) ( 4) ( i i i ) ; 20 C . F . R . pt . 404, s ubpt . P , app. 1 §§ 12. 04 ( a f f e c t i ve di sorder s) , 12 . 06 (anx i ety di sorder s) . T a y l ordoe s nots ugge s ttha ts he m e e t s the f ourth B c r i t e r i on, a s the r e i s no ev i d en ce o f an y ep i so d e o f “ d eco m p en sat i o n ” i n th i s reco rd . S h e co n t en d s, h o w ev er, th atsh e i s seri o u sl y l i m i t ed i n h er ab i l i ty t o fu n ct i o n i n d ep en d en t l y, appr opr i a t e l y , e f

f e c t i ve l y , a nd on as us t a i ne d ba s i s i n the othe rthr e e a r e a s . T he c r e d ib le e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d d o e s n o t s u p p o rt T a y lo ro n th is p o in t. A s not ed, the D D S psyc ho l og i st s opi ned that , excl ud i ng any e ff ec t s of a l c ohol i s m ordrug a ddi c t i on, w hi c h T a y l ora gr e e s s houl d notbe c ons i de r e d, s he h a s o n ly“m ild ” r e s tr ic tio n o f a c tiv itie s o f

d a ilyliv in g , a n d “m ild ” d if f ic u ltie s in m a in ta in in g s o c ia l f

u n c tio n in g , c o n c e n tr a tio n , p e r s is te n c e , a n d p a c e . B a s e d o n th is evi dence al on e, the A L J properl y c ou l d fi nd thatT ay l or do es no thave any l i st ed i m pa i rm e nt . B utthe A L J ’ s de t e rm i na t i on i s a l s o s upport e d bym e di c a l r e c or ds show i ng i m prov em enti n h ercond i t i on s w i th tre atm entthatbegan i n 2 00 3, l ay evi dence of her a ct i vi t i es of dai l y l i vi ng and soci al funct i on i ng si nce her a l l eged d a te o f o n s e t, a n d V R D r e c o r d s . C. T ay l or further c on t ends thatthe A L J abu se d h i s di sc re t i on by denyi ng her- 6-

re qu es tfor a s e c ond consul t at i ve exam i nat i on t o o bt ai n n euro-psy chol og i ca l te s tin g . W e d is a g r e e . T he S oci al S ec uri ty A dm i ni stra t i on (“ S S A ”) has broad la titu d e in o r d e r in g c o n s u lta tiv e e x a m in a tio n s . R eed v. M a ssa n a ri , 270 F . 3d 838, 842 ( 9th C i r . 2001) . T he S S A m a ypur c ha s e ac ons ul t a t i ve e xa m i na t i on w he n the e v id e n c e a s aw h o le is n o t s u f f ic ie n t to s u p p o rt ad e c is io n o n ac la im . 2 0 C .F .R . § 416. 919a ( b) . I n thi s c a s e , how e ve r , the A L Jdi d notf i nd the e vi de nc e i ns uf

f i c i e nt t o s upporthi s de c i s i on. R a the r , i n f i ndi ng tha tT a y l orw a s notdi s abl e d a tS t e ps T w o and T hree , the A L J f ou nd di sposi t i ve a bod y of l ar gel y und i sput ed evi dence s how i ng tha tT a y l ore xpe r i e nc e d not abl e i m pr ove m e nti n he rm e nt a l he a l th s t a tus a nd f unc t i oni ng thr oughoutthe pe r i od f r om the da t e of

ons e tt o the da t e of deci si on , as a r es ul tof m edi ca t i on s pre sc ri bed b y hertre at i ng ph ys i ci an and o ther tr e a tm e n t s h e r e c e iv e d a t h is c lin ic . See W a rre , 4 3 9 F. 3 d a t1 0 0 6 . Th u s , th e ALJ di d note rri n de c l i ni ng t o or de ras e c ond c ons ul t a t i ve e xa m i na t i on. D. A tS t ep F i ve, the A L J w as re qu i re d t o d et erm i ne w hether, consi deri ng her R F C , age, educat i on , and w ork exp er i ence , T ay l or i s abl e t o p er form any w ork that e x is ts in s ig n if

ic a n t n u m b e r s in th e n a tio n a l e c o n o m y . R F C is th e ab ilityto pe r f orm phy s i c a l a nd m e nt a l w ork a c t i vi t i e s on as us t a i ne d ba s i s de s pi t e l i m i t a t i ons f r o m a l l o f

h e ri mp a i rme n t s , w h e th e rs e v e r e o rn o n - s e v e r e . 2 0 C. F. R.- 7-

§ 4 1 6 .9 2 0 ( e ) ; i d. , § 416. 945( a ) . I ti s S S A ’ s bur de n a tS t e p F i ve t o pr ovi de e vi de nc e de m ons tr a t i ng tha tothe rw ork e xi s t s i n s i gni f i c a ntnum be r s i n the n a tio n a l e c o n o m y th a t T a y lo rc a n d o . 2 0 C .F .R . § 4 1 6 .9 1 2 ( g ) ; id ., § 4 1 6 .9 6 0 ( c ) . T he A L J’ s a l t ernat i ve fi nd i ng atS t ep F i ve w as supp ort ed by subst ant i al e vi de nc e . M e di c a l r e c or ds doc um e nt i ng T a y l or ’ s i m pr ove d m e nt a l s t a tus a nd f unc t i oni ng w hi l e t a ki ng pr e s c r i be d m e di c a t i ons , as t a t e m e ntf r om he rf r i e nd reg ard i n g h er d ai l y act i v i t i es an d rel at i o n sh i p s w i th o th er fri en d s an d n ei g h b o rs, and the t es t i m on y of avo ca t i on al expert(“ V E ”) , supp ortthe A L J’ s f i nd i ng s that T a y lo rh a s th e R F C to p e r f o rm s im p le , r o u tin e ta s k s r e q u ir in g o n lylig h t to m e d iu m e x e rtio n , a n d th a t s h e c a n p e r f o rm jo b s th a t e x is t in s ig n if ic a n t n u m b e r s in O r e gon a nd i n the na t i ona l e c onom y , i nc l udi ng m a i l s ort e r , l aundryw orke r , a nd food sort er . C on fl i ct i ng evi dence fr om her c ar e- gi ver and tw o form erem pl oyer s do es no tnegat e the A L J’ s f i nd i ng atS t ep F i ve, and the A L J c ou l d p roperl y r ej ec t th e rep o rt s an d o p i n i o n s o f th e treat i n g p h ysi ci an an d ex am i n i n g p sych o l o g i st ab o u t h erfu n ctio n al li m it atio n s, as th ey w er e b as ed p rim ar il y o n T ay lo r’s d is c r e d ite d s e lf

- r e p o rts . Se e B at

s on , 3 5 9 F .3 d a t 1 1 9 7 . I V. F ora l l of the s e r e a s ons , the di s tr i c tc ourtj udgm e ntuphol di ng the C o m m i s s i o n e r ’ s d e n i a l o f S S I d i s ab i l i tyb e n e f

i t s i s AF F I R ME D.