Brumbaugh-Sandoval v. Commissioner of Social Security

Filing 2

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT WITH LEAVE TO AMEND re 1 signed by Magistrate Judge Gary S. Austin on 5/1/2015. Amended Complaint due by 6/1/2015.(Martinez, A)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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Plaintiff,

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ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT
WITH LEAVE TO AMEND

v.

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1:15-cv-00585---GSA

MICHELLE L. BRUMBAUGHSANDOVAL,

COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL
SECURITY,

(ECF No. 1)

Defendant.

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I.

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INTRODUCTION
Plaintiff Michelle Brumbaugh-Sandoval (“Plaintiff”) filed a Social Security complaint

(the “Complaint”) on April 16, 2015. (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff appears to be challenging a denial of
her Social Security benefits in the Complaint. As discussed below, however, the Complaint must
be dismissed because it fails to state a claim. Plaintiff is granted leave to correct the mistakes
discussed below and file an amended complaint.
II.

DISCUSSION
a.

Legal Standard

Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2), the Court must conduct an initial review of the Complaint
to determine whether it “state[s] a claim on which relief may be granted,” is “frivolous or

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malicious,” or “seek[s] monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.” If

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the Court determines that the Complaint fails to state a claim, it must be dismissed. Id. Leave to

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amend may be granted to the extent that the deficiencies of the Complaint can be cured by

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amendment. Cato v. United States, 70 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir. 1995).

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A complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the

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pleader is entitled to relief . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are not

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required, but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere

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conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Bell

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Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1964-65 (2007)). Plaintiff must set

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forth “sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to „state a claim that is plausible on its face.‟”

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Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 663 (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555). While factual allegations

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are accepted as true, legal conclusion are not. Id. at 678.

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To determine whether a complaint states an actionable claim, the Court must accept the

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allegations in the complaint as true, Hospital Bldg. Co. v. Trustees of Rex Hospital, 425 U.S. 738,

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740 (1976), construe pro se pleadings liberally in the light most favorable to the Plaintiff, Resnick

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v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 447 (9th Cir. 2000), and resolve all doubts in the Plaintiff‟s favor.

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Jenkins v. McKeithen, 395 U.S. 411, 421 (1969). Pleadings of pro se plaintiffs “must be held to

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less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers.” Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338,

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342 (9th Cir. 2010) (holding that pro se complaints should continue to be liberally construed after

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Iqbal).
Plaintiff’s Allegations

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b.

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Plaintiff‟s Complaint asks the Court to “overturn the decision of the Administrative Law

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Judge and award the appropriate disability benefits.” (ECF No. 1.) It does not explain whether

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Plaintiff participated in a hearing, when the administrative law judge issued his or her decision, or

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whether (and when) that decision was appealed to the Appeals Council of the Social Security

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Administration. The Complaint proceeds to describe particular deficiencies in the administrative

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law judge‟s decision, including: (1) a failure to consider the records of a particular physician; and

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(2) a failure to fully consider Plaintiff‟s functional limitations.
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Analysis of Plaintiff’s Allegations

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c.

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Under Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a complaint must first set forth a

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“short and plain statement of the grounds for the court‟s jurisdiction.” Under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g),

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a plaintiff appealing a final decision of a denial of Social Security benefits can only come within

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the jurisdiction of this Court if: (1) the appeal is filed within sixty days after she is mailed the

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notice of the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security; and (2) she resides in the

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district in which the action is filed.
A “final decision” under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) is reached only after a Plaintiff has exhausted

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her administrative remedies. Once a denial of benefits is received, a claimant must file for

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reconsideration of that decision with the Social Security Administration. 20 C.F.R. § 904.909. If

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the Administration issues an adverse decision, an individual may request that an administrative

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law judge (“ALJ”) hold a hearing. 20 C.F.R. § 404.929. If the ALJ then issues an adverse

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decision, an appeal may be filed with the Social Security Appeals Council. Any appeal to the

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Appeals Council must be filed within sixty days of the ALJ‟s decision. 20 C.F.R. § 404.968.

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Once the Appeals Council issues its decision, a Claimant can file a complaint in the United States

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District Court. This complaint must be filed within sixty days of the Appeals Council‟s order. 42

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U.S.C. § 405(g).

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It is not clear from the face of the Complaint that the conditions specified by 42 U.S.C. §

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405(g) have been met. Although the Complaint states that an unfavorable decision was rendered,

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it is unclear when that decision was issued or whether the requisite appeals process (as laid out

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above) has been followed. Plaintiff should clearly indicate the dates that any appeals were filed,

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as well as the dates and results of those appeals, in any amended complaint.

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Plaintiff should also note that this Court can only review a final decision by the Social

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Security Administration to determine whether: (1) it is supported by substantial evidence; and (2)

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it applied the correct legal standards. Carmickle v. Commissioner, 533 F.3d 1155, 1159 (9th Cir.

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2008). In other words, the Court will not rehear the entirety of Plaintiff‟s case or examine records

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that were not considered by the ALJ.

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1 III.

LEAVE TO AMEND

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The Court will provide Plaintiff an opportunity to amend the Complaint to fix the issues

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identified above. If Plaintiff chooses to file a First Amended Complaint, it must bear the docket

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number assigned in this case and be labeled “First Amended Complaint.” As a general rule, an

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amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. Lacey v. Maricopa Cnty., 693 F.3d 896

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(9th Cir. 2012) (noting that there may be limited exceptions to this rule on appeal). In other

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words, the amended complaint must be “complete in itself without reference to the prior or

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superseded pleading.” Local Rule 220.

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ORDER
For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiff‟s Complaint is DISMISSED WITH LEAVE TO

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AMEND. Plaintiff is instructed to consider the standards set forth in this Order and should only

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file an amended complaint if she believes her claims are cognizable. Any amended complaint

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shall be filed no later than June 1, 2015. Failure to file an amended complaint by the date

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specified will result in dismissal of this action.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated:

May 1, 2015

/s/ Gary S. Austin
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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