Raymond E. ANDREWS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Donna E. SHALALA, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Defendant-Appellee

Raymond E. Andrews appeals the district court’s entry of summary judgment for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, affirming the Secretary’s denial of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1381 et seq. Andrews argues that the Administrative Law Judge improperly rejected the conclusions of the examining psychologist without giving clear and convincing reasons for doing so, and that the determination of nondisability was not based on substantial evidence. 42 U.S.C. § 405 (g). He further asserts that, even if the ALJ were entitled to discount the opinion of the psychologist who examined him, the ALJ’s decision must nonetheless be reversed because the hypothetical that formed the basis for the vocational expert’s opinion did not accurately reflect the limitations found by the medical advisor. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We hold that the Secretary was entitled to adopt the opinion of the nonexamining medical advisor, who was present at the hearing and testified, and to discount the opinion of the examining physician, because the ALJ gave specific and legitimate reasons for doing so that were…