# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 19

- 364 V UNPUBLISHED

CRYSTAL MERTINS

,

Petitioner,

v.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent. Chief Special Master Corcoran

Filed: February 17, 2021

Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint Stipulation on Damages; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)

John Robert Howie, Howie Law, PC, Dallas, TX , for petitioner.

Emilie Williams , U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1

On March 11, 2019

, C rystal Mertins filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa

- 10, et seq

. 2 ( the “Vaccine Act” )

. 3 Petitioner alleges that she suffered a shoulder injury related to v accine ad ministration ( “ SIRVA ” ) as a result of an influ enza ( “ flu ” ) vaccine administered on October 6, 2015

. A m ended Petition at 1 ; Stipulation

, fil ed on February 17, 2021

, at ¶¶ 1

- 2, 4

. Petitioner further alleges that the vaccine was administered within the United States; that she suffered the residual effects of her alleged injur y for more than six months; and that there has been no prior award or set tlement o f a civil action for damage s on her behalf as a result of her condition

. Amended Petit ion at 1

- 2 , 1 3 ; Stipulation at ¶¶ 3

- 5

. “Respondent denies t hat petitioner sustained a SIRVA Table injury, and denies that the

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website in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 E

Government 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 w hich 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

- 6 60, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease of citation, all “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subpara graph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2012 ).

3 Petitioner filed an Amended Petition on September 30, 2019. ECF No. 22.2

flu vac cine caused petitioner to suffer a left shoulder injury or any other injury or her current condition. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6.

Nevertheless, o n February 17, 2021

, 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 term s stated in the attached Stipulation

, I award the following compensation:

A lump sum of $ 30,000.00 in the form of a check payable to P etitioner

. Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages that wo uld be available under Section 15 (a). Id

.

I approve the requested amount for P etitioner’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. 4

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran Chief Special Master

4 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filin g of notice renouncing the right to seek review.**IN THE**  **UNITED STATES**  **COURT OF**  **FEDERAL CLAIMS**  **OFFICE OF**  **SPECIAL MASTERS**

**CRYSTAL MERTINS,** 

**Petitioner,**

**V.**

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

**Respondent. )**  **) )**  **) )**  **) )**  **) )**  **) )**  **No. 19-364V**  **Chief Special**  **Master Corcoran**  **ECF**

**STIPULATION**

**The parties**  **hereby stipulate**  **to the**  **following matters:**

**1. Crystal**  **Mertins, petitioner,**  **filed a**  **petition for**  **vaccine compensation**  **under the** 

**National Vaccine**  **Injury Compensation**  **Program, 42**  **U.S.C. §§**  **300aa-10 to**  **-34 (the**  **"Vaccine**

**Program"). The**  **petition seeks**  **compensation for**  **injuries allegedly related to**  **petitioner's receipt** 

**of an**  **influenza ("flu")**  **vaccine, which**  **is a**  **vaccine contained**  **in the**  **Vaccine Injury**  **Table (the** 

**"Table"), 42**  **C.F.R. §**  **100.3 (a).** 

**2. Petitioner**  **received the**  **flu vaccine**  **on October**  **6, 2015.** 

**3. The**  **vaccination was**  **administered within**  **the United**  **States.**

**4. Petitioner**  **alleges that**  **she suffered**  **from a**  **left shoulder**  **injury related**  **to vaccination** 

**administration ("SIRVA")**  **within the**  **time period**  **set forth**  **in the**  **Table following**  **receipt of**  **the**

**flu vaccine**  **and that**  **she experienced**  **the residual**  **effects of**  **this alleged**  **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**  **condition.**