Juan M. Espinoza Mejia v. Nancy A. Berryhill

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff filed an application for SSI and DIB on October 27, 2016 alleging disability beginning January 19, 2015. See Dkt. 16, Administrative Record (“AR”) 249. After being denied initially and on reconsideration,

1 The Court partially redacts Plaintiff’s name in compliance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c)(2)(B) and the recommendation of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management of the Judicial Conference of the United States. Plaintiff requested a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”), which was held on August 10, 2018. See AR 41-67. At the hearing, Plaintiff amended the alleged onset date to October 27, 2016. See AR 66. The ALJ issued an unfavorable decision on August 27, 2018. See AR 23-34. The ALJ found that Plaintiff had the severe impairments of major depressive disorder with psychotic features and schizophrenia. See AR 26. The ALJ found Plaintiff had the medically determinable but not severe impairments of amphetamine abuse; lumbar levoscoliosis, spondylosis, and sacroiliac joint disease; left shoulder acromioclavicular osteoarthritis and tendinosis; insomnia; and mitral valve prolapse. See AR 26-27. The ALJ found that…