Razmik Zakarian v. Andrew Saul

O

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RAZMIK Z., Case No. 2:19-cv-08970-KES

Plaintiff,

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND

v.

ORDER

ANDREW SAUL, Commissioner of Social Security, 15 Defendant.

I.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In March 2016, Plaintiff Razmik Z. (“Plaintiff”) applied for Title II social security disability benefits, alleging that he became disabled on June 3, 2015. Administrative Record (“AR”) 178-79, 196-97. On April 12, 2018, the Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) conducted a hearing at which Plaintiff, who was represented by counsel, testified along with a vocational expert (“VE”). AR 52-95. On September 5, 2018, the ALJ issued an unfavorable decision. AR 12-34. The ALJ found that Plaintiff suffered from the severe impairments of “degenerative disc disease and stenosis of the lumbar spine, the cervical and thoracic spine; and obesity.” AR 18. Despite these impairments,…