1 

# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 1 4

- 8 40V Filed: August 21 , 2015 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UNPUBLISHED M ICHAEL SCHIFFGENS , * * Special Master Hamilton

- Fieldman Petitioner, * * Joint Stipulation on Damages; v. * T etanus
- Diphtheria

- A cellular * Pertussis ( “ Tdap ” ) Vaccine; SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Guillain

- Barré Syndrome ( “ GBS ” )
. AND HUMAN SERVICES, * * Respondent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * J ohn R. Howie, Jr. , H owie Law, P.C. , D allas, TX , for P etitioner
. D arryl R. Wishard , United States Department of Justice, Washington , D
. C
. , for R espondent. DECISION 1 

### On S eptember 10 , 2014 , M ichael Schiffgens (“ P etitioner”) filed a petition pursuant to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
. 2 

### 42 U .S.C. §§ 300aa

- 1 to

- 34 (2006). Petitioner alleged that a Tetanus

- Diphtheria

- Acellular Pertussi s ( “ Tdap ” ) vaccination administered on S eptember 6, 2011 caused him to develop Guillain

- Barré Syndrome ( “ GBS ” )
. Petition (“Pet.”) at 1

- 9
. On August 21 , 2015, the parties filed a stipulation in which they state that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. Respondent denies that the Tdap vaccin e caused or significantly aggravated Petitioner’s condition or any other injury. However, the parties agree to
1 

### Because this decision contains a reasoned explanation for the undersigned’s action in this case, the undersign ed 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 include s medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion o f privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b). 2 

### The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury A ct 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.2



### the joint stipulation, attached hereto as Appendix A. The undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein. The parties stipulate that P etitioner shall receive the following compensation: A. A lump sum of $129,385.20, in the form of a check payable to Petitioner; and B. A lump sum of $443.69, which amount represents compensation for reimbursement of the Medicaid lien, in the form of a check payable jointly to Petitioner and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - CRU (Case No. C R G379173), P.O. Box 417811, Boston, MA 02241 - 7811. Petitioner agrees to endorse this payment to the Commonwealth of Massachusett s. This above amount represent [s] compensation for all damages that would be available under U.S.C. § 300aa

- 15(a). S tipulation ¶ 8
. The undersigned approves the requested amo unt for P etitioner ’s compensation. Accordingly, an award should be made consistent with the stipulation. In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC App endix B, the clerk of the court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of the parties’ stipulation. 3 

### IT IS SO ORDERED. s/ Lisa Hamilton

- Fieldman Lisa Hamilton

- Fieldman Special Master

3 

### Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment is 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
MICHAEL SCHIFFGE S , P e titi o n e r , 

### v. SECRETARY OF HE ALT H AND HUMAN SE R VICES , Respondent. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 

### ) ) ) )

**~~~ ~~~~**  **~~~~~~ ~~**  

### ) No. I 4-840V ECF S pe c ia l Master H a milt o n-Fi e ldman



### ST IP ULAT IO N The parties h e reb y stip ulate to the fo ll owing matter s: l
. Petitioner, Michael Sc hi ffgens, fil e d a petition for vacc in e compensa tion und er th e Na tion a l Vaccine Injur y Compe n sat i o n Pro gram , 4 2 U.S
. C. 

### §§ 300aa- I 0 to 34 (t h e "Vacc in e Program " ). The pe titi on see k s compe n sa tion for i njur ies a ll ege dl y re l ated to petitioner 's receip t of the t etan u s- di p hth eria-ace llul ar pertu ss i s ("Tdap " ) vacci n e , which i s co nt ained in th e Vaccine Injur y Tab l e (t h e "Ta bl e"), 4 2 C.F.R. 

### § I 00.3(a). 2. On September 6, 20 11 , petitioner rece i ve d the Tdap vacc ine. 3. Th e Tdap vacc in e was administe red within the United State s . 4. Petitioner all eges that , as a re s ult of rece i v in g th e Tdap vacc in e, h e s u ffered from Gui ll ai n-B arre s yndrome ("GBS " ) , wit h an o n se t date of Septem b er 28, 201 1 , and that h e experienced s ymptoms of thi s i njury fo r more than s i x months. 5. Petitioner repre se nt s that there h as been no pr i or award or se ttlement of a civi l ac ti on for d amages as a re s ult of hi s a ll ege d inju ries
.6. R es pond e nt d e ni es th a t t h e Td a p vacc i n e e ith e r c au se d o r s ignifi c ant l y a ggra va t e d
p e titi o n e r 's a ll ege d injuri es o r a n y o th e r injur y, a nd d e ni es th a t p e titi o n e r 's c urre nt di sa bil i ti es

ar e t h e res ult of a va ccin e- r e lated injur y. 7 . M a int a inin g th e ir ab ove - s ta t e d p os iti o n s, t he p art i es n eve rth e l ess n ow ag ree th a t th e iss u es b etwee n th e m s h a ll b e s ettl e d a nd th a t a d ec i s i o n s ho uld b e e nt e re d awa rdin g th e

c omp e n sa tion d es cribed in p arag raph 8 of thi s S tipulati o n. 8
. As soo n as p rac ti ca bl e af te r a n e ntr y o fjud g m e n t re fl ec tin g a d ec i s i o n co n s i s t e nt

w ith th e t e rm s of thi s S t i p ul ati o n , and aft er p e t i tioner h as filed a n e l ec tion t o re c e i ve

co mp e n sat i o n pur s u an t t o 4 2 U.S.C. 

### § 300aa

- 2 l (a)( 1 ), th e Sec re t a ry of H ea lth a nd Hu ma n Serv ices w i ll i ss u e the foll ow ing vacc in e co mp e n s ati o n paym e nt s:

a. A lump s um of $ 1 29,38 5 .20, in th e fo rm o f a c h ec k p aya bl e to p e titi o n e r ; a nd b. A lump s um o f $ 44 3
. 69 , w hi c h a m o unt re pr ese nt s c omp e n sati o n fo r r e imbur se m e nt o f th e Me di ca id li e n , in th e fo rm of a c h e ck p aya bl e jo intl y to p e tition e r a nd the Co mm o n wea lth o f M assac hu se tt s - C R U (Case No. C RG 379 1 73), P .O. B ox 41 78 11 , B os to n , MA 0 22 41 -78 11. P e ti t i o n e r ag r e e s to e nd o r se th is p ayme nt to th e Co mm o n wea lth of M assac hu se tt s. Th e a b ove am o unt s re pr ese nt co mp e n sati o n for a ll d a m ages th a t wo u ld b e ava i l a bl e und e r 42 U.S.C. 

### § 300aa- l 5(a). 9. As soo n as p rac ti ca bl e a ft e r th e e ntr y of j ud g m e nt o n e ntit l e m e nt in thi s case, and

a ft e r p e titi o n e r ha s fil e d b o th a p ro p e r a nd tim e l y e l ec ti o n to rece i ve co mp ensa t io n purs u a nt t o 42 U.S.C. Sec ti o n 3 00 aa-2 1 (a) (l ), and a n a ppli ca ti o n , th e p a rti es w ill s ubmi t to fu rth e r p rocee d i n gs b efo r e the s p ec i a l m as t e r to a wa rd reaso n a bl e a tt o rn eys ' f ees a nd cos t s in c urr e d in proceed in g up o n thi s pe ti t i o n . l 0
. P e titi o n e r and hi s attorn ey re p rese nt th a t co m pe n sa t i on to b e p rov i d e d pu rs u a n t to
t hi s S t i pul a ti o n i s no t fo r a n y it e m s o r se rv ices fo r whic h t he P rogra m i s n o t p r im ar i l y li a bl e 2und er 4 2 U
. S
. C. 

### § 30 0a a- 1 5(g) , to the e x te n t th a t p a ym e nt h as b ee n m ad e or ca n rea s o n a bl y b e
exp ecte d to b e m a d e und e r an y S t a te co mp e n s a ti o n p rogra m s, in s uran ce p o li c i es , F e d e ral o r S tat e h e alth benefit s p rogr am s ( ot h e r th a n Titl e X IX of the S o cial Securit y Ac t ( 4 2 U.S
. C. 

### § 1 396 e t se q .) ) , o r b y e ntiti es th at pro v id e h e alth se rvi c e s o n a pre- p a id b as i s . 11. Paym e nt s mad e pur s u a nt to para g raph 8 o f thi s S tipul a ti o n , a nd a n y a m o unt s
awa rd e d purs u a nt t o p a ra g raph 9 o f thi s Sti p ul a ti o n , w ill b e m a d e in ac co rd a n c e w i t h 4 2 U.S.C. 

### § 3 00aa-l 5(i ), s ubj ec t to the a va il a bil i ty of s uffi c i e nt s t a tut ory fund s . 12
. Th e p a rti es and th e ir att o rn ey s furth e r ag r ee and s tipul a te th a t , exce pt fo r any a wa rd fo r a tt o rn eys ' fees and li ti g ation cos t s , th e m o n ey p rov id e d pur s u a nt t o thi s St ipul a ti o n w ill b e
u s e d so l e l y for the b e n e fit o f p e titi o n e r , as co nt e mpl a te d b y a s t r ict co n s tru c ti o n of 4 2 U.S.C. 

### § 300 aa- l 5 ( a ) and ( d) , a nd s ubj ec t t o the c onditi o n s of 4 2 U.S.C. 

### §§ 3 00a a -l 5 (g) and ( h ). 13
. 

### In re turn for th e p a ym e n ts d esc rib e d in p a ra g raph s 8 a nd 9 , p e titi o n e r , in hi s indi v idual c ap ac it y a nd o n behalf of hi s h e ir s , exec ut o r s, a dmini s tra t o r s, s u cce ss o r s o r a ss i gns , d oes fo reve r irr evoc abl y and un co nditi o n a ll y re l ea s e , acq uit and di sc h a r ge th e U ni te d St a t e s an d th e Sec ret a ry o f H ea lth a nd Hum a n Se rv i ce s fr o m a n y a nd a ll ac ti o n s , ca u ses o f ac ti o n ( includin g ag r ee m e nt s , judgm e n ts , cl a im s , d a m age s , l os s of se r v i ces , ex p e n s e s and a ll d e m a nd s o f wh a t eve r kind o r n a tur e) th a t h ave b ee n brou g ht , co uld h ave b ee n brou g ht , o r co uld b e tim e l y brou g ht in th e Co urt o f F e d era l C l a im s, und e r th e Na ti o n a l Vacc in e Injury Co mp e nsa ti o n P rogram , 4 2 U.S.C. 

### § 300 aa- 10 et se q. , o n a cc ount o f , o r in an y w ay g rowin g o u t o f, a n y and a ll kn ow n o r unkn ow n , s u s p ec t e d o r un s u s p ec t e d p e r so n a l injuri e s to o r d ea th of p e titi o n e r r e s ultin g fr o m , o r
a ll ege d to h ave re s ult e d fr o m , th e Td ap vacc in e admini ste re d o n Se pt e mb e r 6 , 2 0 I I , as a ll ege d b y p e titi o n e r in a p e ti t i o n for v ac c ine co mp e n sa ti o n fil e d o n o r a b o ut Se pt e mb e r l 0 , 2 014 , in th e U nit e d S t a tes C ourt o f F e deral C l a im s as p et iti o n No. 14- 8 4 0V. 314. 

### If petitioner s hould die prior to entry of judgment, this agreement s hall be vo idabl e upon proper notice to the Court on behalf of either or both of the paitie s. 15. 

### If the spec ial master fails to iss u e a deci s i on in comp l ete co n fo1mity with the terms of this Stipulation or if the Court of Federal Claims fails to e nter judgment in conform i ty with a decision that is in comp l ete confom1ity with the terms of this Stip ul at i on, then the pattie s' settlement and this Stipu l ation shall be voidab l e at the so l e discretion of either part y. 16. This Stipu l ation expresses a full and complete negotiated se ttlement of li ability and damage s cla im ed und er the Nat i onal Childhood Vaccine Injur y Act of 1986 , 

### as am e nded, except

as otherwise noted in paragraph 9 a b ove. T h ere i s abso lut e l y no agreement on th e part of the parties hereto to make any payment or to do any act or thing othe r t h a n is herein express l y s tat ed and clearly agreed to. The parties furth er ag ree and und erstand that the award described in thi s
s tipulation may reflect a compromise of the parties' respective po s iti ons as to li ab ili ty a nd/or

amo unt of damage s , and further, that a change in the nature of the injury or co ndition or in the item s of compensation so ught , i s not grounds to modif y or rev i se thi s agreement. 1 7. This St ipul ation s hall not be construed as an admission by the United States or th e Secretary of Health and Human Serv i ces that th e Tdap vaccine received by p e titioner either caused

or s ignificantly aggravated petitioner 's alleged inj uries or any other injur y. 18. A ll rights and ob li ga ti ons of petitioner hereunder s h all app l y equally to petitioner ' s heir s, executors , admin i s trator s, s uccessor s, and/o r assigns. 

### END OF ST IP ULA TION

4

### Respectfully s ubmitted, PETITIONER :

ATTORNEY OF PETITIONER :



### JO~OWIE,JR. How ie Law, P.C. 4040 North Central Expressway, Suite 850 Dallas, TX 75204 (2 14) 

### 622-6340

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATJ VE OF THE SECRETARY O F HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES:

A. 

### MELISSA HOU T ON, M.D., M.P.H, 

### FAAP Direct or, Division of Inju ry Compensation 

### Programs (DICP) Healthcare Systems Bureau 

### U.S. Department of He a lth and Human Services 560 0 Fishers Lan e Parl<lawn Building, Mail Stop 11 C-26 

### Rockville, MD 20857
Dated: 

# 8 /



# ~ l / 1



# ~

**~~~ ---''---**  **~-**


### 5 AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE 

### OF'fHE ATTORNEY 

### Gj!:NERAL: 

# 7.)lA'\o

**~** 

# :J.

**~** 

# -

**6:1t~** [r-___ VINCENT 

### J. MATANOSKI Deputy Directo r Torts Branch 

### Civil Division U.S. Department of Ju st ic e 

### P.O. Box 14 6 Benj amin Frank lin Station Washington, 

### DC 20044

- 0146 

### ATTORNEY OF 

### RECORD FOR RESPOND ENT :



### DARRYL R. WISHARD Senior Trial Atto rney Torts Branch 

### Civil Division 

### U. S. Department of Ju s tice 

### P
. O
. Box 1 46 Benjamin 

### Franl<lin Station Washington, DC 20044

- 0 14 6 (202) 616

- 4 357