Opinion ID: 3034974
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Treating psychologist’s opinion

Text: The ALJ rejected the opinion of Dr. Turner, Mooney’s treating psychologist, which concluded, based on objective testing, that Mooney was unable to work “due to both psychological and medical factors.” First, the ALJ rejected Dr. Turner’s opinion because Mooney “was still performing landscape work,” even though Mooney’s landscape job was through the VA’s sheltered work program, the purpose of which is to provide jobs for vets who are not able to hold a competitive job. Second, the ALJ rejected Dr. Turner’s opinion because “[a]t no time . . . was there any report of the claimant’s inability to get along with others or the staff” or of him being violent, even though substantial evidence in the record shows that Mooney had tremendous difficulty getting along with people outside of the sheltered VA environment and that Dr. Turner found Mooney unemployable -2- due to his anxiety, depression, and physical limitations as well as his “great difficulty accepting any criticism.” Finally, the ALJ surmised that Dr. Turner lied or exaggerated about Mooney’s condition so as to aid “his re-admittance into VA transitional housing,” without offering any evidence for this conclusion. Therefore, the ALJ’s decision to discredit Dr. Turner’s opinion is not justified by clear and convincing reasons supported by substantial evidence. See Magallanes v. Bowen, 881 F.2d 747, 751 (9th Cir. 1989); Holohan v. Massanari, 246 F.3d 1195, 1202 (9th Cir. 2001).