# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

Filed: October 29, 2018

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SCOTT V. BARTKUS

, Administrator of the * UNPUBLISHED

Estate of LAWRENCE A. MARRA, JR

, *

* No. 1 5

- 261 V

Deceased

, *

Petitioner, * Special Master Gowen

v. *

* Joint Stipulation; Influenza;

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Necrotizing Muscle Myopathy;

AND HUMAN SERVICES, * D eath.

*

Respondent. *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lawrence R. Cohan

, Anapol Weiss

, Philadelphia, PA , for petitioner.

Lisa Ann Watts , United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON STIPULATION 1

On March 13, 2015

, Lawrence A. Marra, Jr. (“Mr. Marra”) filed a petition in the National

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (“Program”). 2 Petition, ECF No. 1. Mr. Marra filed an

amended petition on June 10, 2015

. Amended Petition, ECF No. 10

. On April 16, 2018 , the case

caption was amended to reflect that Mr. Marra had passed away and Mr. Scott V. Bartkus

(“p etitioner”), was app ointed administrator of his estate. Order Granting Motion t o Amend Case

Caption, ECF No. 63

. Mr. Bartkus filed a second amended petition on June 29 , 2018, alleging that

Mr. Marra suffered necrotizing muscle myopathy as the result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination

1 P ursuant to the E

- Government Act of 2002, see 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012), b ecause this decision contains a

reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I intend to post it on the website of the United States Court of

Federal Claims. The court’s website is at http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/aggregator/sources/7. Before the decision

is posted on the court’s website, each party has 14 days to file a motion requesting 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 includes medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly

unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b). “An objecting party must provide the court with a proposed

redacted version of the decision.” Id. If neither party files a motion for redaction within 14 days, the decisio n

will be posted on the court’s website without any changes. Id.

2 The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine

Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99

- 660, 100 Stat. 3755, codified as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa

- 1 to

- 34 (2012)

(“Vaccine Act” or “the Act”). All ci tations in this decision to individual sections of the Vaccine Act are to 42

U.S.C.A. § 300aa.2

he received on or about September 17, 2012. 3 Second Amended Petition, ECF No. 70. Petitioner

further alleged that Mr. Marra’s death was the result of the effects of the flu vaccination. Second

Amended Petition at Preamble & ¶ 20.

On October 29 , 2018 , the parties filed a joint stipulation in which they state d that a de cision

should be entered awarding compensation to petitioner. Stipulation for Award, ECF No. 74

. Respondent denied that the flu vaccine caused Mr. Marra’s alleged necrotizing muscle myopathy,

or any other injury, and further denied that Mr. Marra’s death was a sequela of a vaccine

- related

injury. Id. at ¶ 6.

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 compensation to

petitioner accor ding to the terms of the joint stipulation attached hereto as Appendix A.

The joint stipulation awards :

A lump sum of $ 9 5 ,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner as legal

representative of the Estate of Lawrence A. Marra, Jr. This amount represents

c ompensation for all damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa

- 15(a)

.

I find the stipulation reasonable and I adopt it as the decision of the Court in

awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Accordingly, the Clerk of th e Court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with

the terms of the parties’ stipulation. 4

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Thomas L. Gowen

Thomas L. Gowen

Special Master

3 The September 17, 2012 date of vaccination is supported by Mr. Marra’s vaccination record. See Petitioner’s

Exhibit 6 at 100. Petitioner’s Petition, Amended Petition, and Second Amended Petition inaccurately note the date

of vaccination as September 22, 2012.

4 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 CLAIT:v!S** 

**OFFrCE OF**  **SPECIAL MASTERS** 

**SCOTT BARTKUS,**  **)**

**Administtatpr of**  **the Estate**  **of, )** 

**LA WREN**  **CE A.**  

## MARRA, **JR., Deceased,**  **)**

**Petitioner,**



## v.

**SECRETARY OF.HEALTH**  **AND**

**HU:M'AN SERVICES,** 

**Respondent. )** 

**)**

**)**

**)**

**)**

**)**

**)**

**)**

**) No. lS:-261 V**  **(ECF)**

**Special Master**  **Gowen**

**STIPULATION**

**The parties**  **hereby stipulite**  **to the**  **following_ matters;** 

**1. Lawrence**  **Marra**

**1 Jr.**  **(''Mr. Marra")**  **filed a**  **petitio:o.forvaccine compensation**  **under the** 

**National Vaccine**  **Injury Compensation.Program,**  **4;;2. U$,C.**  **§ 300aa-10**  **to 34**  **(the '"Vaccine** 

**Program"), �eeking**  **compensation for**  **injuries allegedly**  **related to**  **Mr. Marra**  **1 s**  **receipt of**  **the**

**influenza (''flu'')**  **vaccine, which**  **vaccine is**  **contained in**  **the Vaccine**  **.1njw.:y Table**  **(the. "'.fable"),** 

**42 C.F.R.**  **§ 100.3(a}.**  **An amended**  **petition fled**  **by Seott**  **V, Bati;kus,**  **Administrator ofthe**  **Estate**

**of Law:renee**  **A. Marra,**  **Jr. {''petitioner"),**  **1 clanns**  **that Mr. Marra's**  **alleged vaccine-related fojury** 

**led to**  **M'.r. Marra's**  **death on**  **Februatv- 1-2,**  **2018.**

**'** 

### .

**2. Mr..**  **Marra rec.eived**  **a flu**  **vaccine on**  **or about**  **September 17,**  **2012, 2** 

**3. The**  **vaacine w�s administered**  **within the**  **United States.** 

**1 The**  **case caption**  **wal3 changed**  **by the**  **Special Master**  **on April**  **16, 20 rn.**

**2 This**  **date is**  **supported by Mr.**  **Marra's vaccination,•**  **record. See**  **Petitioner• s**  **Exhibit 6**  **at 100.** 

**The petitions**  **filed on**  **March 13-,**  **2015, June**  **10, 2015,**  **and J**  **� ne**  **29**

**3 2018,**  **include an**  **incorrect**

**vaccination date·ofSeptember**  **22, 2012.** 

**1**