# In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 17-849V Filed: August 10, 2018 UNPUBLISHED
PATRICIA DILLON ,

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)

Danielle Strait, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Seattle, WA, for petitioner. Althea Walker Davis, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1 

### Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On June 22, 2017, petitioner 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 caused by the administration ofthe December 15, 2015 flu vaccination and that she suffered the residual effects of this injury for more than six months. Petition at ¶¶6-8; Stipulation, filed August 1, 2018, at ¶ 6. “Respondent denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner to suffer a shoulder injury or any other injury or her current condition. ”Stipulation at¶ 6. Nevertheless, on August 1, 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.

1Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims'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

2National 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



### Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation , the undersigned awardsthe following compensation: A lump sum of $75,000.00 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.**IN THE**  **UNITED STATES**  **COURT OF**  **FEDERAL CLAIMS**  **OFFICE OF**  **SPECIAL MASTERS**  **PATRICIA DILLON,** 

**Petitioner,**

**v. SECRETARY**  **OF HEALTH**  **AND HUMAN**  **SERVICES,**

**Respondent.** 

### ) **) )**  **) )**  **)** 

### ) **) )**  **) No.**  **17-849V Chief**  **Special Master**  **Nora Beth**  **Dorsey ECF** 

**STIPULATION The**  **parties hereby**  **stipulate to**  **the following**  **matters: 1.**  **Patricia Dillon,**  **petitioner, filed**  **a petition**  **for vaccine**  **compensation under**  **the National**  **Vaccine In** 

**jury Compensation**  **Program, 42**  **U.S.C. §**  **300aa-10 to**  **34 (the**  **"Vaccine Program").**  **The petition**  **seeks compensation**  **for in**  **juries allegedly**  **related to**  **petitioner's receipt**  **of the**  **influenza ("flu")**  **vaccine, which**  **vaccine is**  **contained in**  **the Vaccine**  **Injury Table**  **(the "Table"),**  **42 C.F.R.**  **§ 100.3(a).**  **2. Petitioner**  **received a**  **flu vaccine**  **on or**  **about December 15,**  **2015. 3.**  **The vaccine**  **was administered within**  **the United**  **States. 4.**  **Petitioner alleges**  **that she**  **suffered a**  **shoulder in**  **jury caused**  **by the**  **administration of**  **the December**  **15, 2015**  **flu vaccination**  **and that**  **she suffered**  **the residual**  **effects of** **this injury**  **for**

**more than**  **six months.**  **5. Petitioner**  **represents that**  **there has**  **been no**  **prior award**  **or settlement**  **of a**  **civil action**  **for damages**  **on her**  **behalf as**  **a result**  **of her**  **alleged vaccine**  **in jury.**  **6. Respondent**  **denies that the**  **flu vaccine**  **caused petitioner**  **to suffer**  **a shoulder**  **in jury**  **or any**  **other in** 

**jury or**  **her current**  **condition. 1** **7. Maintaining**  **their above-stated**  **positions, the**  **parties nevertheless now**  **agree that**  **the**

**issues between**  **them shall**  **be settled**  **and that**  **a decision**  **should be**  **entered awarding the compensation**  **described in**  **paragraph 8**  **of this**  **Stipulation. 8.**  **As soon**  **as practicable**  **after an**  **entry of** **judgment reflecting**  **a decision**  **consistent with**  **the terms**  **of this**  **Stipulation, and**  **after petitioner**  **has filed**  **an election**  **to receive**  **compensation pursuant**  **to 42**  **U.S.C. §**  **300aa-21 (a)(l),**  **the Secretary**  **of Health**  **and Human**  **Services will**  **issue the**  **following vaccine**  **compensation payment:** 

**A lump**  **sum of$75,000.00**  **in the**  **form of**  **a check**  **payable to**  **petitioner. This**  **amount represents**  **compensation for**  **all damages**  **that would**  **be available**  **under 42**  **U.S.C. §**  **300aa-15(a). 9.**  **As soon**  **as practicable**  **after the**  **entry of** **judgment on**  **entitlement in**  **this case,**  **and after**  **petitioner has**  **filed both**  **a proper**  **and timely**  **election to**  **receive compensation**  **pursuant to**  **42 U.S.C.**  **§ 300aa-2**  **1 (a)(l),**  **and an**  **application, the**  **parties will**  **submit to**  **further proceedings**  **before the**  **special master**  **to award**  **reasonable attorneys'**  **fees and**  **costs incurred**  **in proceeding**  **upon this**  **petition. 10.**  **Petitioner and**  **her attorney**  **represent that**  **they have**  **identified to**  **respondent all**  **known**

**sources of**  **payment for**  **items or**  **services for**  **which the**  **Program is**  **not primarily**  **liable under**  **42 U.S.C.**  **§ 300aa-l**  **5(g), including**  **State compensation**  **programs, insurance policies, Federal**  **or State**  **health benefits**  **programs (other**  **than Title**  **XIX of** **the Social**  **Security Act**  **(42 U.S.C.**  **§ 1396**  **et seq.)),**  **or entities**  **that provide health**  **services on**  **a pre-paid**  **basis. 11.**  **Payment made**  **pursuant to**  **paragraph 8**  **and any**  **amounts awarded pursuant**  **to paragraph**  **9 of**  **this Stipulation**  **will be**  **made in**  **accordance with**  **42 U.S.C.**  **§ 300aa-15(i),**  **subject to**  **the availability**  **of sufficient**  **statutory funds.**  **1 2**
**. The**  **parties and**  **their attorneys**  **further agree**  **and stipulate**  **that, except**  **for any**  **award**

**2 for**  **attorn ey'**  **s fees**  **and litigation**  **costs, the**  **money provided**  **pursuant to**  **this Stipulation**  **will be** 

**used solely**  **for the**  **benefit of**  **petitioner as**  **contemplated by**  **a strict**  **construction of**  **42 U.S.C. §**  **300aa- 1 5** **(a) and**  **(d), and**  **sub ject**  **to the**  **conditions of**  **42 U.S.C.**  **§ 300aa-**  **1 5 (g)**  **and (h).**  **1 3**

**. "**  **In return**  **for the**  **payments described**  **in paragraphs**  **8 and**  **9, petitioner,**  **in her**  **individual capacity,**  **and on**  **behalf of**  **her heirs,**  **executors, admini** **strators, successors**  **or assigns,**  **does forever**  **irrevocably and**  **unconditionally release,**  **acquit and**  **discharge the**  **United States**  **and the**  **Secretary of**  **Health and**  **Human Services**  **from any**  **and all**  **actions or**  **causes of**  **action (including agreements,**  **judgments, claims,**  **damages, loss**  **of services,**  **expenses and**  **all demands**  **of whatever**  **kind or**  **nature) that**  **have been**  **brought, could**  **have been**  **brought, or**  **could be**  **timely brought**  **in the**  **Court of**  **Federal Claims,**  **under the**  **National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program,**  **42 U.S.C.**  **§ 300aa-**  **10 et**  **seq., on**  **account of,**  **or in**  **any way**  **growing out**  **of, any**  **and all**  **known or**  **unknown, suspected**  **or unsuspected**  **personal in**  **juries to**  **or death**  **of petitioner**  **resulting from,**  **or alleged**  **to have**  **resulted from,**  **the flu**  **vaccination administered**  **on December**  **1 5 ,**  **20 1**  **5,**

**as alleged**  **by petitioner**  **in a**  **petition for**  **vaccine compensation**  **filed on**  **or about**  **June 22,**  **20 1 7** **, in**  **the United**  **States Court**  **of Federal Claims**  **as petition No.**  **1 7 -849V.**  **1 4**

**. If** **petitioner should**  **die prior**  **to entry**  **of judgment,**  **this agreement**  **shall be**  **voidable upon**  **proper notice**  **to the**  **Court on**  **behalf of**  **either or**  **both of**  **the parties.**  **'15**
**. If** **the special**  **master fails**  **to issue**  **a decision**  **in complete**  **conformity with**  **the terms**  **of this**  **Stipulation or**  **if the**  **Court of**  **Federal Claims**  **fails to**  **enter judgment**  **in conformity**  **with a**  **decision that**  **is in**  **complete conformity**  **with the**  **terms of** **this Stipulation,**  **then the**  **parties' settlement**  **and this**  **Stipulation shall**  **be voidable**  **at the**  **sole discretion**  **of either**  **party. 1 6** 
**. This**  **Stipulation expresses**  **a full**  **and complete**  **negotiated settlement**  **of liability**  **and damages**  **claimed under**  **the National**  **Childhood Vaccine**  **In jury**  **Act of**  **1 9 86,**  **as amended,**  **except**

**3 as**  **otherwise noted**  **in paragraph**  **9 above.**  **There is**  **absolutely no**  **agreement on**  **the part**  **of the** 

**parties hereto**  **to make**  **any payment**  **or to**  **do any**  **act or**  **thing other**  **than is**  **herein expressly stated**  **and clearly**  **agreed to.**  **The parties**  **further agree**  **and understand**  **that the**  **award described**  **in this**  **Stipulation may**  **reflect a**  **compromise of**  **the parties'**  **respective positions**  **as to**  **liability and/or**  **amount of**  **damages, and**  **further, that**  **a change**  **in the**  **nature of**  **the injury**  **or condition**  **or in**  **the items**  **of compensation**  **sought, is**  **not grounds**  **to modify**  **or revise**  **this agreement.** 

**17. This**  **Stipulation shall**  **not be**  **construed as**  **an admission**  **by the**  **United States**  **or the**  **Secretary of**  **Health and**  **Human Services**  **that the**  **flu vaccine**  **caused petitioner's**  **alleged shoulder**  **injury or**  **any other**  **injury or**  **her current**  **condition. 18.**  **All rights**  **and obligations**  **of petitioner**  **hereunder shall**  **apply equally**  **to petitioner's**  **heirs, executors,**  **administrators, successors,**  **and/or assigns.**  **END OF**  **STIPULATION**
**I I**  **I I**  **I I**  **I I**  **I I**  **I**
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