Opinion ID: 439153
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: dr. satten's psychiatric report.

Text: 8 Dr. Satten, a psychiatrist, had treated Vincent in 1974 and 1975. He also saw Vincent twice in 1977 and once in 1978. Dr. Satten never saw Vincent after the 1979 stroke. However, after examining reports from several treating physicians and reading statements about Vincent's condition, Dr. Satten wrote a letter concluding that Vincent was severely impaired. Vincent accurately notes that the ALJ did not mention Dr. Satten's letter in his decision. 9 An ALJ must explain why he has rejected uncontroverted medical evidence. See Day v. Weinberger, 522 F.2d 1154, 1156 (9th Cir.1975). Here, Dr. Satten's letter was not uncontroverted. It addressed the same issue as the medical reports prepared by Drs. Chamberlain and Postman. Where a material conflict in the evidence is present, only the ALJ can resolve it. See Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 91 S.Ct. 1420, 28 L.Ed.2d 842 (1971). Here, the ALJ's determination seems reasonable. After-the-fact psychiatric diagnoses are notoriously unreliable. See Schauer v. Schweiker, 675 F.2d 55, 60 n. 5 (2d Cir.1982). The ALJ was entitled to discount Dr. Satten's letter.