In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

(Filed: February 24, 2021)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

GARLAND RUCKER, * UNPUBLISHED 

* No. 19-204V

Petitioner, *

* Special Master Dorsey

v. *

 * Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

* 

SECRETARY OF HEALTH *

AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

 *

 Respondent. *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Lawrence G. Michel, Kennedy, Berkley, et al., Salina, KS, for petitioner.

Althea W. Davis, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for respondent.

DECISION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS1

On February 5, 2019, Garland Rucker (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation 

under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (“Vaccine Program”)2alleging that as 

a result of an influenza vaccination administered on October 18, 2016, he suffered from 

transverse myelitis. Petition at 1 (ECF No. 1). A fact hearing was held on August 6, 2020, and 

the undersigned issued her fact ruling on September 30, 2020. (ECF No. 54). Thereafter, 

petitioner filed a motion for a decision dismissing his petition, and on October 30, 2020, the 

undersigned issued her decision dismissing the petition for insufficient proof. (ECF No. 58).

1 This Decision will be posted on the website of the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, in accordance 

with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012). This means the Decision will be available to 

anyone with access to the internet. As provided by 44 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(d)(4)B), however, the parties may object 

to the published Decision’s inclusion of certain kinds of confidential information. Specifically, Under Vaccine Rule 

18(b), each party has 14 days within which to request redaction “of any information furnished by that party: (1) that 

is a trade secret or commercial or financial in substance and is privileged or confidential; or (2) that includes medical 

filed or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine 

Rule 18(b). Otherwise the whole decision will be available to the public in its current form. Id. 

2 The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine 

Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755, codified as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2012) 

(“Vaccine Act” or “the Act). All citations in this decision to individual sections of the Vaccine Act are to 42 U.S.C. 

§§ 300aa. 
2

On November 2, 2020, petitioner filed an application for attorneys’ fees and costs. 

Motion for Attorney Fees and Costs (ECF No. 59). Petitioner requests compensation in the 

amount of $16,311.37, representing $14,627.50 in attorneys’ fees and $1,683.87 in attorneys’ 

costs. Pursuant to General Order No. 9, petitioner states he has not personally incurred any costs 

related to his petition. Fees App. Ex. 2. Respondent filed his response on November 16, 2020

stating that if the undersigned determines that the case proceeded with a reasonable basis and 

exercises her discretion to award attorneys’ fees and costs, the Federal Circuit has made it clear 

that the determination of a reasonable award is within the undersigned’s discretion. Response at 

3 (ECF No. 60). Petitioner did not file a reply thereafter. The matter is now ripe for disposition.

For the reasons discussed below, the undersigned GRANTS petitioner’s motion and 

awards a total of $15,611.37.

I. Discussion

Under the Vaccine Act, the special master shall award reasonable attorneys’ fees and 

costs for any petition that results in an award of compensation. 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(e)(1). 

When compensation is not awarded, the special master “may” award reasonable attorneys’ fees

and costs “if the special master or court determines that the petition was brought in good faith

and there was a reasonable basis for the claim for which the petition was brought.” Id. at 

§15(e)(1). Here, although the petition was eventually dismissed, the undersigned finds that the 

claim was brought in a good faith belief that petitioner’s vaccination was the cause of his 

injury, and the case had a reasonable basis to proceed for as long as it did. Accordingly, 

petitioner is entitled to a final award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

a. Reasonable Attorneys’ Fees 

The Federal Circuit has approved use of the lodestar approach to determine reasonable 

attorney’s fees and costs under the Vaccine Act. Avera v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., 515 

F.3d 1343, 1349 (Fed. Cir. 2008). Using the lodestar approach, a court first determines “an 

initial estimate of a reasonable attorney’s fee by ‘multiplying the number of hours reasonably 

expended on the litigation times a reasonable hourly rate.’” Id. at 1347-58 (quoting Blum v. 

Stenson, 465 U.S. 886, 888 (1984)). Then, the court may make an upward or downward 

departure from the initial calculation of the fee award based on other specific findings. Id. at 

1348.

Counsel must submit fee requests that include contemporaneous and specific billing 

records indicating the service performed, the number of hours expended on the service, and the 

name of the person performing the service. See Savin v. Sec’y of Health and Human Servs., 85 

Fed. Cl. 313, 316-18 (2008). Counsel should not include in their fee requests hours that are 

“excessive, redundant, or otherwise unnecessary.” Saxton v. Sec’y of Health and Human Servs., 

3 F.3d 1517, 1521 (Fed. Cir. 1993) (quoting Hensley v. Eckerhart, 461 U.S. 424, 434 (1983)). It 

is “well within the special master’s discretion to reduce the hours to a number that, in [her] 

experience and judgment, [is] reasonable for the work done.” Id. at 1522. Furthermore, the 

special master may reduce a fee request sua sponte, apart from objections raised by respondent 
3

and without providing a petitioner notice and opportunity to respond. See Sabella v. Sec’y of

Health & Human Servs., 86 Fed. Cl. 201, 209 (2009). 

A special master need not engage in a line-by-line analysis of a petitioner’s fee 

application when reducing fees. Broekelschen v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., 102 Fed. Cl. 

719, 729 (2011). Special masters may rely on their experience with the Vaccine Program and its 

attorneys to determine the reasonable number of hours expended. Wasson v. Sec’y of Health

and Human Servs., 24 Cl. Ct. 482, 484 (Fed. Cl. Nov. 19, 1991) rev’d on other grounds and aff’d 

in relevant part, 988 F. 2d 131 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Just as “[t]rial courts routinely use their prior 

experience to reduce hourly rates and the number of hours clamed in attorney fee requests ... 

[v]accine program special masters are also entitled to use their prior experience in reviewing fee 

application.” Saxton, 3 F. 3d at 1521. 

i. Reasonable Hourly Rates

Petitioner requests that his counsel, Mr. Lawrence Michel, be compensated at $300.00 per 

hour for all work performed in this case, from 2018 to 2020. These rates are consistent with what 

Mr. Michel has previously been awarded for his Vaccine Program work, and the undersigned finds 

them to be reasonable herein. 

Petitioner also requests that work performed by an associate attorney, Ms. Laurel Michel, 

be compensated at $175.00 per hour (all work by Ms. Michel was performed in 2018). However, 

the undersigned notes that Ms. Michel is not currently admitted to practice law before the Court 

of Federal Claims and petitioner has provided no evidence to suggest that Ms. Michel has ever 

been so licensed.3 Accordingly, the undersigned cannot compensate her work in this case at 

attorney rates. See Schmidt v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., No. 17-913V, 2020 WL 1528428, 

at *3 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Feb. 23, 2020); Underwood v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., No. 

00-357V, 2013 WL 3157727, at *4 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. May 31, 2013); see Vaccine Rule 

14(a)(1). Accordingly, Ms. Michel’s work must be compensated at paralegal rates, which in this 

case is $75.00 per hour. This results in a reduction of $700.00.

ii. Reasonable Hours Expended

In reducing an award of fees, the goal is to achieve rough justice, and therefore a special 

master may take into account their overall sense of a case and may use estimates when reducing 

an award. See Florence v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., No. 15-255V, 2016 WL 6459592, at 

*5 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Oct. 6, 2016) (citing Fox v. Vice, 563 U.S. 826, 838 (2011). It is well 

established that an application for fees and costs must sufficiently detail and explain the time 

billed so that a special master may determine, from the application and the case file, whether the 

amount requested is reasonable. Bell v. Sec'y of Health & Human Servs., 18 Cl. Ct. 751, 760

(1989); Rodriguez, 2009 WL 2568468. Petitioner bears the burden of documenting the fees and 

costs claimed. Id. at *8.

3 The Clerk’s Office of the Court of Federal Claims confirmed that Ms. Michel is not admitted to the Court’s bar as 

of the date of this decision. 
4

 The overall hours spent on this matter appear to be reasonable. The undersigned has

reviewed the billing entries and finds that they adequately describe the work done on the case 

and the amount of time spent on that work. None of the entries appear objectionable, nor has 

respondent identified any entries as objectionable. Accordingly, petitioner is entitled to a final 

award of attorneys’ fees in the amount of $13,927.50. 

b. Attorneys’ Costs 

Petitioner requests a total of $1,683.87 in attorneys’ costs. This amount is comprised of 

acquiring medical records, postage, and the Court’s filing fee. Petitioner has provided adequate 

documentation supporting the costs and they are reasonable in the undersigned’s experience.

Petitioner is therefore awarded final attorneys’ costs of $790.42.

II. Conclusion

Based on all of the above, the undersigned finds that it is reasonable compensate 

petitioner and his counsel as follows: 

Attorneys’ Fees Requested $14,627.50

(Total Reduction from Billing Hours) - ($700.00)

Total Attorneys’ Fees Awarded $13,927.50

Attorneys’ Costs Requested $1,683.87

(Reduction of Costs) -

Total Attorneys’ Costs Awarded $1,683.87

Total Attorneys’ Fees and Costs Awarded $15,611.37

Accordingly, the undersigned awards a lump sum in the amount of $15,611.37, representing

attorneys’ fees and costs, in the form of a check payable jointly to petitioner and his counsel, 

Mr. Lawrence Michel.

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the 

court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith.4

s/Nora Beth Dorsey

Nora Beth Dorsey

Special Master

4 Entry of judgment can be expedited by each party’s filing of a notice renouncing the right to seek review. Vaccine 

Rule 11(a).