Filed: Dec. 12, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS DEC 12 2019 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT ANNA BAGDASARYAN, No. 18-15774 Plaintiff-Appellant, D.C. No. 2:16-cv-02319-CKD v. MEMORANDUM* ANDREW M. SAUL, Commissioner of Social Security, Defendant-Appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California Carolyn K. Delaney, Magistrate Judge, Presiding Submitted December 6, 2019** San Francisco, California Before: GOULD a
Summary: NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS DEC 12 2019 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT ANNA BAGDASARYAN, No. 18-15774 Plaintiff-Appellant, D.C. No. 2:16-cv-02319-CKD v. MEMORANDUM* ANDREW M. SAUL, Commissioner of Social Security, Defendant-Appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California Carolyn K. Delaney, Magistrate Judge, Presiding Submitted December 6, 2019** San Francisco, California Before: GOULD an..
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NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS DEC 12 2019
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
ANNA BAGDASARYAN, No. 18-15774
Plaintiff-Appellant, D.C. No. 2:16-cv-02319-CKD
v.
MEMORANDUM*
ANDREW M. SAUL, Commissioner of
Social Security,
Defendant-Appellee.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of California
Carolyn K. Delaney, Magistrate Judge, Presiding
Submitted December 6, 2019**
San Francisco, California
Before: GOULD and CALLAHAN, Circuit Judges, and BOUGH,*** District
Judge.
Anna Bagdasaryan appeals the district court’s decision affirming of the
*
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
**
The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
***
The Honorable Stephen R. Bough, United States District Judge for the
Western District of Missouri, sitting by designation.
Commissioner of Social Security’s denial of her application for disability
insurance benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act (Act). We have
jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), and we affirm.
Substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s Step Two determination that
Bagdasaryan’s fibromyalgia was nonsevere. The ALJ reasonably concluded from
the record that this condition was well-controlled with medication and did not
require specialist care. See Tommasetti v. Astrue,
533 F.3d 1035, 1038 (9th Cir.
2008) (“The ALJ’s findings will be upheld ‘if supported by inferences reasonably
drawn from the record.’” (quoting Batson v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec. Admin.,
359 F.3d
1190, 1193 (9th Cir. 2004))). Although Bagdasaryan challenges the ALJ’s Step
Two determination that her migraine headaches and back pain were nonsevere, she
presents no argument as to these physical impairments. See Carmickle v. Comm’r
of Soc. Sec. Admin,
533 F.3d 1155, 1161 n.2 (9th Cir. 2008) (declining to consider
issue not “specifically and distinctly argued” in the opening brief (quoting Paladin
Assocs., Inc. v. Mont. Power Co.,
328 F.3d 1145, 1164 (9th Cir. 2003))).
The ALJ provided specific and legitimate reasons to reject treating physician
Michael Bass’s opinion on Bagdasaryan’s physical functioning as unsupported by
the record and inconsistent with the conservative treatment Dr. Bass prescribed.
See Trevizo v. Berryhill,
871 F.3d 664, 675 (9th Cir. 2017) (in evaluating medical
opinions, ALJ must consider supportability and consistency with the record).
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Bagdasaryan’s contentions that she could not afford specialist care and that the
ALJ had a duty to develop the record by ordering a consultative examination with
a rheumatologist are unpersuasive. See Mayes v. Massanari,
276 F.3d 453, 459-60
(9th Cir. 2001) (claimant has the burden to prove disability, and ALJ’s duty to
develop the record triggered only when the evidence is ambiguous or inadequate to
allow for proper evaluation).
The ALJ provided specific and legitimate reasons to reject Dr. Bass’s
opinions, Dr. Janet Phillips’s opinion, and a portion of Dr. Jaine Foster-Valdez’s
opinion on Bagdasaryan’s mental functioning as unsupported by the record and
inconsistent with Bagdasaryan’s conservative treatment. See
Trevizo, 871 F.3d at
675. Substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s finding that Bagdasaryan never
sought treatment from a therapist and Dr. Bass did not refer her to a mental health
specialist. See
Tommasetti, 533 F.3d at 1038.
Bagdasarayan contends the ALJ erred and violated due process by not
allowing her non-attorney representative, Lois Babcock, to testify and by giving
little weight to Babcock’s third-party function report. Because Bagdasaryan failed
to raise this challenge before the district court, the issue is waived. See Greger v.
Barnhart,
464 F.3d 968, 973 (9th Cir. 2006). Bagdasaryan’s assertion that review
is necessary to avoid manifest injustice is unpersuasive.
AFFIRMED.
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