Griffin M. B. v. Martin O'Malley

Summary

The United States District Court for the Central District of California reviewed the denial of Griffin M. B.’s application for Supplemental Security Income benefits. The court held that the Administrative Law Judge properly considered the State Agency consultants’ mental assessments, adequately assessed the residual functional capacity, and posed a complete hypothetical to the vocational expert. The Commissioner’s decision was affirmed, and the action was dismissed with prejudice.

Holdings

1. The ALJ properly considered the opinions of Drs. Foster-Valdez and Ying by addressing their supportability and consistency and reasonably finding them persuasive.
2. The ALJ's RFC assessment was supported by substantial evidence and adequately incorporated the mental limitations assessed by the state-agency consultants.
3. The ALJ posed a complete hypothetical question to the vocational expert because the hypothetical incorporated the limitations properly included in the RFC.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the ALJ properly considered the mental assessments of the non-examining state-agency psychological and medical consultants.
2. Whether the ALJ's residual functional capacity assessment was supported by substantial evidence and properly incorporated the assessed mental limitations.
3. Whether the ALJ posed a complete hypothetical question to the vocational expert.

Disposition

affirmed