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

No. 19 - 0916 V UNPUBLISHED

EDWARD ZHAO , Petitioner, v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent. Chief Special Master Corcoran Filed: April 2, 2020
Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint Stipulation on Damages; Meningococcal Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)
Summer Pope Abel, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC , for petitioner. Lara Ann Englund

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

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1 On June 24, 2019 , Edward Zhao 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 he suffered right shoulder injuries, including a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”), as a result of a meningococcal vaccine received on or about July 10, 2018 . Petition at 1 ; Stipulation , filed April 1, 2020 , at ¶ ¶ 2

- 4

. Petitioner further alleges that the vaccine was administered in the United States, his injuries lasted longer than six months, and that neither he nor any other party has received compensation in the form of an award or settlement for Petitioner’s vaccine

- related injury . Petit ion at 1, 3

- 4 ; Pet. Ex. 1 at 2; Stipulation at ¶¶ 3

- 5

. “ Respondent denies that petitioner sustained a SIRVA Table injury; denies that the vaccine caused petitioner’s alleged shoulder injury, or any other

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website in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 o f 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 subpara graph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2012 ).2

injury; and denies that the vaccine caused petitioner’s alleged shoulder injury, or any other injury; and denies that his curr ent condition is a sequelae of a vaccine

- related injury. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6. Nevertheless, o n April 1, 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 term s stated in the attached Stipulation , I award the following compensation: A lump sum of $ 63,058.10 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 § 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. 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.IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS EDWARD ZHAO, ) ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) No. 19-916V ) Chief Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey SECRETARY OF ) HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ) ) Respondent. ) ) STIPULATION The parties hereby stipulate to the following matters:
1. P etitioner Edward Zhao (“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 the meningococcal vacci ne, which vaccine is contained in the Vaccine Injury Table (the “Table”), 42 C.F.R. § 100.3 (a).
2. Petitioner received a meningococcal vaccine on or about July 10, 2018. 3. The vaccine w as administered within the United States. 4. Petitioner alleges that he sustained a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) within the time period set forth in the Table. H e further alleges that he experienced the residual effects of this condition for more than six months. 5. Petitioner represents that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages as a result of h is condition.2 6. Respondent denies that petitioner sustained a SIRVA Table injury; denies that the vaccine caused petitioner’s allege d shoulder injury, or any other injury; and denies that h is current condition is a sequelae of a vaccine- related injury. 7. Maintaining their above-stated positions, the parties nevertheless now agree that the issues between them shall be settled and tha t 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 ha s filed an election to receive compensation pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 300aa- 21(a)(1), the Secretary of Health and Human Services will issue the following vaccine compensation payment: A lump sum of $63,058.10, 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-21(a)(1), 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. Pet itioner and h is 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-15(g), including State compensation programs, insurance poli cies, 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.3 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.
12. The parties and their attorneys further agree and stipulate that, except for any award for attorneys’ fees and litigation costs and past unreimbursable expenses, 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-15(a) and (d), and subject to the conditions of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(g) and (h). 13. In return for the payments described in paragraphs 8 and 9, petitioner, in h is individual capacity, and on behalf of h is heirs, executors, administrators, 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 injuries to or death of petitioner resulting from, or alleged to have resulted from, the meningococc al vaccination administered on or about
J uly 1 0, 2018, as alleged by petitioner in a petition for vaccine compensation filed on or about June 24, 2019 , in the United States Court of Federal Claims as petition No. 19-916 V.
14 . 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.4 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 ei ther party.
16 . This Stipulation expresses a full and complete negotiated settlement of liability and damages claimed under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, as amended , except 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 meningococcal vaccine caused petitioner’s alleged shoulder injury or any other injury or h is current condition.
18 . All right s and obligations of petitioner hereunder shall apply equally to petitioner’s heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and/or assigns

. END OF STIPULATION / / / / / / /

### Respectfully submitted, PETITIONER:

EDWARD ZHAO

ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR PETITIONER:



### SUMMER ABEL LAW OFFICES OF 

### LEAH V. DURANT, 

### PLLC 1717 K Street, NW, Suite 900 Washington, 

### DC 20006 (202) 775-9200

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES:

TAMARA OVERBY Acting Director, Division of Injury Compensation Programs Healthcare Systems Bureau U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 5600 Fishers Lane Parklawn Building, Mail Stop 08N 146B Rockville, MD 20857

Dated: 

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5 AUTHORIZED REPRESENT A TNE 

### OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL:

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RINE E. REEVES Deputy Director Torts 

### Branch Civil Division 

### U.S. Department 

### of Justice P.O. Box 146 Benjamin Franklin Station Washington, 

### DC 20044-0146

A

TTOR..NEY OF RECORD FOR RESPONDENT:



# ~,4~ !J,-j~ 

# LL

__ ..___. _ LARA A. ENGLUND Senior Trial Attorney Torts Branch 

### Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice P.O. Box 146 Benjamin Franklin 

### Station Washington, DC 20044-0146 (202) 307-3013