Herman John Gallegos v. Andrew Saul

INTRODUCTION

Herman G. (“Plaintiff”) filed applications for Disability Insurance Benefit and Supplemental Security Income on July 25 and July 29, 2016, alleging disability beginning July 15, 2015. See Dkt. 16, Administrative Record (“AR”) AR 153-59, 160-70.1 After being denied by initial determination on December 29, 2016, see AR 88-92, Plaintiff requested and received a hearing

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.

Additionally, all citations to the AR are to the record pagination. All other docket citations are to the CM/ECF pagination. before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on November 16, 2018, see AR 32-55. The ALJ issued an unfavorable decision on December 21, 2018. See AR 12-31. The ALJ followed the five-step sequential evaluation process for determining whether an individual is disabled. At step one, the ALJ found that Plaintiff had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since the onset date. See AR 17. At step two, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff had the…