# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 12-635V

Filed: March 21, 2016

Not for Publication

************************************* LAURA M. STOLOWSKI, *

* Petitioner, *

*

v. *

*

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

* Respondent. *

*

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

Ra mon Rodriguez, III, Richmond, VA, for petitioner.

Justine E. Walters , Washington, DC, for respondent.

MILLMAN, Special Master

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

On March 18, 2016 , the parties filed the attached stipulation in which they agreed to settle this case and described the settlement terms. Petitioner alleges that she suffered rheumatologic disorder, immunologic disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and other rheumatologic defe cts that were

caused or significantly aggravated by her October 7, 2009 receipt of influenza (“flu”) vaccine

. Petitioner further alleges that she suffered the residual effects of this injury for more than six months. Respondent denies that petitioner’s a lleged rheumatologic disorder, immunologic disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, other rheumatologic defects, or any other injury, were caused by flu vaccine. Nonetheless, the parties agreed to resolve this matter informally.

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation f or the special master’s action in this case, the special master intends to post this unpublished decision on the United States Court of Federal

Claims’ website, in accordance w ith the E- Government Act of 2002

, 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Fed eral Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services) . Vaccine Rule 18(b) states that all decisions of the special masters will be made available to the public unless they contain trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is priv ileged and confidential, or medical or similar information whose disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. When such a decision is filed, petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to redact such information prior to the docu ment = s disclosure. If the special master, upon review, agrees that the identified material fits within the banned categories listed above, the special master shall redact such material from public access. Damages decision based on stipulation; rheumatologic disorder; immunologic disorder; rheumatoid arthritis; other rheumatologic defects; influenza (“flu”) vaccine2 The undersigned finds the terms of the stipulation to be reasonable. The court hereby adopts the parties’ said stipulation, attached hereto, and awards compensation in the amount and on the terms set forth therein. Pursuant to the stipulation, the court awards:

a. a lump sum of $130,000.00

, in the form of a check payable to petitioner; and

b. a lump sum of $27,558.01 , representing reimbursement of a Medicaid lien. The award shall

be in the form of a check for $27,558.01 , made payable jointly to petitioner and

Treasurer, State of New Jersey

H ealth Management Systems, Inc.

P.O. Box 416522 Boston, MA 02241-6522

Medicaid ID: 132082129001

Petitioner agrees to endorse this check to the Treasurer of the State of New Jersey. The

award s represent compensation in satisfaction of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa- 15(a).

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment herewith. 2

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 21, 2016 s/ Laur a D. Millman

Laura D. Millman

Special Master

2 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by each party , either separately or jointly, filing a notice renouncing the right to seek review.