# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 17

- 591 V

Filed: March 7, 2018

UNPUBLISHED

AIMEE NICHOLS

,

Petitioner,

v.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent. Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint Stipulation on Damages; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury

Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)

Alison H. Haskins, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Sarasota, FL, for petitioner.

Lisa Ann Watts , U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1

Dorsey

, Chief Special Master:

On May 2, 2017

, p etitioner 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 l eft shoulder injuries, to include tendinopathy and adhesive capsulitis, caused by the administration of her October 1, 2015 influenza (“ flu ” ) vaccine . Petition at 1 ; Stipulation , filed March 7, 2018

, at ¶ 4. Petitioner further alleges t hat she suffered 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 on her

behalf as a result of her condition . Petit ion at 4 ; Stipulation at ¶¶ 4-5

. “ Respondent

denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner ’ s alleged left shoulder injuries, to include

tendi nopathy and adhesive capsulitis, or any other injury, and further denies that petitioner ’ s current disabilities are sequelae of a vaccine

- related injury. ” Stipulation at ¶

6.

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, in accordance with

the E- Government Act of 2002

. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned 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, o n March 7, 2018 , the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Pursuant to the term s stated in the attached Stipulation

, the undersigned

award s the following compensation:

A lump sum of $1 40,000.00 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 42 U.S.C. § 300aa

- 15(a). Id

.

The undersigned approves 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/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey 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.