The following excerpt is from Espinosa v. Comm'r of Soc. Sec., No. 2:19-cv-1789-KJN (E.D. Cal. 2021):
Under the Commissioner's regulations, an impairment or combination of impairments is deemed to be severe at step two if it "significantly limits your physical or mental ability to do basic work activities." 20 C.F.R. 404.1520(c), 404.1522(a). In addition to capacity for physical functions, the ability to do basic work activities includes "[c]apacities for seeing, hearing, and speaking." Id. 404.1522(b)(2). An impairment or combination of impairments may be found "not severe only if the evidence establishes a slight abnormality that has no more than a minimal effect on an individual's ability to work." Webb v. Barnhart, 433 F.3d 683, 686 (9th Cir. 2005) (internal quotation marks omitted).
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