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 In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 13-081V

Filed: November 18, 2014

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UNPUBLISHED

MICHAEL PARKER RITTINER, *

 * Special Master Hamilton-Fieldman

Petitioner, *

 * Attorneys’ Fees and Costs; 

v. * Reasonable Amount Requested to

 * Which Respondent Does Not Object.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * 

AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

 *

Respondent. *

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

Nancy R. Meyers, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, NC, for Petitioner.

Jennifer L. Reynaud, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Respondent.

DECISION1

On January 30, 2013, Michael Parker Rittiner (“Petitioner”) filed a petition pursuant to 

the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.242 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 et seq. (2006) 

(“Vaccine Act”). Petitioner alleged that he suffered from fatigue, loss of appetite, difficulty 

concentrating, and nausea, and that this injury had been caused by the H1N1 vaccine received on 

December 17, 2009 and the Trivalent Influenza vaccine received on January 22, 2010. Petition 

(“Pet”) at 1-4. On September 25, 2014, the undersigned issued a decision dismissing the 

 

1 Because this decision contains a reasoned explanation for the undersigned’s action in this case, 

the undersigned intends to post this ruling on the website of the United States Court of Federal 

Claims, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-347, § 205, 116 

Stat. 2899, 2913 (codified as amended at 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2006)). As provided by 

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 files or similar files, the 

disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine Rule 

18(b).

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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 (2006) (Vaccine Act or the Act). All citations in this decision to 

individual sections of the Vaccine Act are to 42 U.S.C.A. § 300aa. 
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petition. 

On November 17, 2014, the parties filed a Stipulation of Fact Concerning Final 

Attorneys’ Fees and Costs. This stipulation requests a total payment of $26,000.00, representing 

total attorneys’ fees and costs. In compliance with General Order #9, Petitioner represents that 

no personal, out-of-pocket expenses were incurred in proceeding on the petition. 

The undersigned finds that the petition was brought in good faith and that there existed a 

reasonable basis for the claim. Therefore, an award for fees and costs is appropriate, pursuant to 

42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(b) and (e)(1). Further, the proposed amount seems reasonable and 

appropriate. Accordingly, the undersigned hereby awards the amount of $26,000.00, in the 

form of a check made payable jointly to Petitioner and Petitioner’s counsel, Nancy R. 

Meyers. 

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

the court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of the parties’ 

stipulation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/ Lisa Hamilton-Fieldman

 Lisa Hamilton-Fieldman

Special Master