In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 19-0621V

UNPUBLISHED

BEVERLY HICKS,

 Petitioner,

v.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES,

 Respondent.

Chief Special Master Corcoran 

Filed: September 9, 2020

Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint 

Stipulation on Damages; Influenza 

(Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury 

Related to Vaccine Administration 

(SIRVA)

Kenneth W. Thayer, III, Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, LLC, Ewing, NJ, for 

petitioner.

Mollie Danielle Gorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

On April 26, 2019, Beverly Hicks filed a petition for compensation under the 

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.

2

(the 

“Vaccine Act”). Petitioner alleges that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine

administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination administered on 

either October 6, 2017 or October 9, 2017. Petition at 1; Stipulation, filed at September 

3, 2020, ¶¶ 2, 4. Petitioner further alleges that she received the vaccines in the United 

States, that she experienced the residual effects of her injury for more than six months, 

and that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages as a 

result of her alleged condition. Petition at 1, 7; Stipulation at ¶¶ 3, 5. “Respondent denies 

that either flu vaccine caused [P]etitioner to suffer a right shoulder injury, or any other 

injury, and denies that [P]etitioner sustained a SIRVA Table injury. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6. 

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am 

required to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website in accordance with the EGovernment Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic 

Government Services). This means the decision will be available to anyone with access to the 

internet. In accordance with Vaccine Rule 18(b), Petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to redact 

medical or other information, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. 

If, upon review, I agree that the identified material fits within this definition, I will redact such material from 

public access. 

2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease 

of citation, all “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa 

(2012).
2

Nevertheless, on September 3, 2020, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, 

stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. I find the stipulation 

reasonable and adopt it as my decision awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation, I award the following 

compensation:

A lump sum of $55,000.00 in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. 

Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages 

that would be available under Section 15(a). Id. 

I approve the requested amount for Petitioner’s compensation. In the absence of 

a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed 

to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Brian H. Corcoran

Brian H. Corcoran

Chief Special Master

3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice 

renouncing the right to seek review.