Samuel Stephens, Jr. v. U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

The majority improperly reverses the United States Railroad Retirement Board’s (the RRB) decision in this case without giving appropriate weight to the deferential substantial evidence standard under which the agency’s decisions ought to be reviewed, or considering the claimant’s burden of proving disability. Controlling case law provides that the RRB’s decision will not be set aside “if it is supported by substantial evidence, is not arbitrary, and has a reasonable basis in law.” Akins v. U.S. R.R. Ret. Bd., 721 F.2d 652, 653 (9th Cir.1983). Under binding precedent, our review must be highly…