(SS) Sigala v. Commissioner of Social Security

I. Introduction

15 Plaintiff Joel Sigala seeks judicial review of a final decision of the Commissioner of Social 16 Security denying his application for disability insurance benefits (“DIB”) pursuant to Title II of the Social Security Act.1

II. Factual and Procedural Background

19 On February 16, 2021, Plaintiff applied for DIB alleging disability as of December 29, 2019. 20 The Commissioner denied the claim initially and on reconsideration. AR 172,188. The ALJ held 21 a hearing on February 27, 2023. The ALJ issued an unfavorable decision on March 22, 2023. AR 22 1306–26. The Appeals Council denied review and this appeal followed.

III. The Disability Standard

24 Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §405(g), “This court may set aside the Commissioner’s denial of 25 disability insurance benefits when the ALJ’s findings are based on legal error or are not supported 26 by substantial evidence in the record as a whole.” Tackett v. Apfel, 180 F.3d 1094, 1097 (9th Cir. 27 1999). Substantial evidence is evidence that could lead a reasonable mind to accept a conclusion. 28 1 The parties did not consent to the jurisdiction of a United States Magistrate Judge. Doc. 8, 9. See…