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

## * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SAMANTHA SILVESTRI , * * No. 1 4-6 66 V Petitioner, * Special Master Christian J. Moran * v. * Filed: September 19 , 2016 * SECRETARY OF HEALTH* Stipulation; hepatitis A vaccine ; AND HUMAN SERVICES, * acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
. * (“ADEM”); multiple sclerosis Respondent. * (“MS”). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ronald C
. Homer and Meredith Daniels , Conway, Homer & Chin
- Caplan, P.C. , Boston, MA , for Petitioner; Heather L Pearlman , U.S. Dep ’ t of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent. UNPUBLISHED DECISION 1 

## On September 13 , 2016, the parties filed a joint stipulation concerning the petition for compensation filed by Samantha Silvestri on July 29 , 201 4. In her petition, petitioner alleged that the hepatitis A vaccine , which is contained in the Vaccine Injury Table (the “Table”), 42 C.F.R. §100.3(a), and which s he received on January 6 , 201 2 , caused h er to suffer acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (“ADEM ”) and multiple sclerosis (“MS”). P etitioner further alleges that s he suffered the residual effects of this injury for more than six months. 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 alleged injuries
.

1 

### The E -Government Act, 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012 ) ( Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services), requires that the Court post this decision on its website. Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 18(b), the parties have 14 days to file a motion proposing redaction of medical information or other information described in 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(d)(4). Any redactions ordered by the special master will appear in the document posted on the website.

### 2 

## Respondent denies that petitioner suffered ADEM, MS , or any other inj ury that was cau se d- in
- fact by her January 6, 201 2 hepatitis A vaccination; denie s that her current disabilities are sequelae of these injuries; and deni es that she experienced the res idual effects of her injuri es for more than six months. Nevertheless, the parties agree to the joint stipulation, attached hereto as Appendix A. The undersigned finds said stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein. Damages awarded in that stipulation inclu de: A lump sum payment of $200,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner, Samantha Silvestri . T his amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa - 15(a). In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC, Appendix B, the clerk is directed to enter judgment in cas e 14- 666 V according to this decision and the attached stipulation. 2 

## Any questions may be directed to my law clerk , Shannon Proctor, at (202) 357 -6 360
. IT IS SO ORDERED
. s/Christian J. Moran Christian J. Moran Special Master

2 

### Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), the parties can expedite entry of judgment by each party filing a notice renouncing the right to seek review by a United States Court of Federal Claims judge.

### IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
SAMANTHA SILVESTRI , Petitioner, V. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent. ) ) ) 

### ) ) ) 

### ) ) ) ) ) No. \ 4-666V Special Master Ch ri stian J. Moran EC F**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-** 

### ) STIPULATION The parties hereby stipulate t o the fo ll ow ing matters : I. Samantha Silvestri ("pe titi one r ") filed a petiti on for vaccine co mpen sa tion und er the Na tional Vaccine Injur y Compensation**Progra~** 42 U
. S .C
. 

### § 300aa-I 0 to 34 (the "Vacci ne Program"). 1 The petition seeks compensation for injurie s allegedly related to petiti oner's receipt of the hepatiti s A vaccine, which vaccine is contained in the Vaccine Injur y Table (the "Tab le"), 42 C.F .R. 

### § I 00
. 3(a). 2. Petitioner received h e r hepatitis A vaccination on January 6, 20 12. 3. The vaccine was ad mini stered within the U nited States. 4. Petitioner alleges that she suffered acute disseminated encephalomyelitis ("ADEM") and m ultiple sc lero s is ( " MS") as a result of her hepatitis A vaccination. She further alleges that she experienced sy mptom s of the se injurie s for m o re than s ix months. 5. Petitioner repr esen t s that there has been no prior award o r se ttlement of a c i vi I action

1 T he petition was o riginally filed on petitioner's behalf by h er parent s , Carl and Susan Silvestri. After petitioner reached the age of majority, pe t itioner was s ubstituted as the sole petitioner h e rein. Ifo r da ma g e s a s a res ult of h er all e ged injuri es. 6 . R es p o ndent d e ni es tha t p etition e r suff e red A D E M, MS, o r an y o th e r in j u ry th a t w a s
ca u se d-i n-fact b y h e r Janua ry 6 , 201 2 hepatiti s A vacci nat io n ; d e ni es th at h e r c u r re n t disa bi l i t i

es
are se qu e l ae o f th ese in j u r ie s; a nd d en ies t h a t s h e ex p er ie n ce d th e res i d u a l e ff ec t s of her injuri es fo r m o re th a n s ix m o nth s. 7. M ai n ta inin g th eir a b o v e - s t at ed p os it io n s , th e p art i es n e v e rth eless n ow a g r ee th at th e i ss u es be t we e n th e m sh a ll be se ttl ed an d that a d ec i s io n s h ou ld b e e n te red aw a rding th e
co mp e n sa ti o n de s cribed in p a ra graph 8 of thi s Stipul ati o n . 8
. As soon as pr a cti c abl e afte r a n e ntry o f j ud g m e nt r e fl ec tin g a d ec i sio n co n s i s t e n t wit h t h e te rm s of thi s Stipul a ti o n , an d a fter p e titi o ner h a s tile d a n el ec ti o n t o r eceive
co mp e n s at i o n pur sua nt t o 4 2 U .S
. C. 

### § 30 0 aa - 2 1( a ) ( 1 ) , th e Se c re t a r y of H ea lth and Human Se rvi c e s w ill i ss u e a lump s um p ay men t o f $2 00 ,0 00
. 00 in th e fo rm of a c heck pa y a b l e t o pe ti t i o n e r. T hi s a m o unt r e presents co m pe n sati o n for a ll da m ages th at wo uld b e ava ila b l e un der 42 U.S
. C
. 

### § 3 00 aa - l 5 (a). 9. A s soon as pr ac ti ca bl e afte r t h e e n tr y o f j ud g me nt o n e nt itl e m en t in thi s case , an d afte r pe t it i o ner has fil ed b oth a pr o p e r an d ti me ly e lect i on to r eceive co m pe n sa ti o n p ur s u a n t t o 42 U.S.C. 

### § 3 00 aa - 2 I ( a) (\ ) , a n d a n ap pl icati o n , th e p a rti es w ill s ub m it t o furth e r proce edin gs befo r e th e s p ec ial m as t e r t o awa rd r ea s o n abl e att o rn eys' fees a n d c os t s in c urred in p r ocee din g
u p on thi s p e titi o n . l O
. P e titi o n er a nd h e r a tt o rn ey r e p rese n t that co mp e n sa t io n t o be pr ov id ed pur s u a nt t o this Stip ul ati o n i s n o t fo r a n y it e m s or se rvi ces fo r whi c h th e Pr ogra m i s n o t p rim ar il y li able unde r 42 U.S.C
. 

### § 3 0 0aa

- 1 5(g), t o th e ex t e nt th a t payment has bee n m ade or ca n r easo n ab ly be


### 2expected to be made und e r any State co mpen sat i o n prog ram s , in s uran ce po li c i es, Federal or Sta t e health ben e fit s program s (other than T itle XIX o f the Socia l Se c urity A ct (42 U .S. C
. 

### § 1396 ct se q.) ), or by e ntit ies tha t pr ov id e health services o n a pre-p ai d ba s i s. I I
. Paym en t made pursua n t to paragraph 8, and a n y amounts awarded p u r s uant t o pa ragra p h 9 of thi s Stipulation, w ill be m ade in accordance w ith 42 U .S.C
. 

### § 300aa

- I 5( i ), su bje c t to the av ail a bil ity o f s uffi cie nt statutory funds. 12
. The parties and their attorneys further agre e and sti pul at e that, except for any awa rd fo r atto rney s' fees a nd litigat i on costs and pa s t unr c imburse d expenses, the money provid e d pursuant to this Stipulatio n w ill be u se d so lely for th e b e nefit o f petitioner, as contemp lated by a
s trict construction o f 42 U.S.C. § 3 00 aa- I 5(a) a nd (d) , a nd sub ject to the co nditi o n s of 42 U.S.C
. 

### § 300aa- I 5(g) a nd ( h)
. 1 3. In r e turn for the payment s d es c r ib ed in paragraphs 8 and 9, petit i o n er, in her in dividual ca pac i ty and o n behalf o f h er heirs, exec ut o r s, adm ini stra t o r s, successors or assig n s, does foreve r irr evocab ly a nd un co n ditiona ll y re l ease, acquit and discharge the United State s and th e Sec retary of Health and Hum a n S ervice s from a n y a nd all action s, ca u ses of ac ti on (includin g agreements, judgme nt s, c lai m s, damage s, l os s of se rvi ces, expe n ses and a ll d e mand s of whatever kind or nature) th a t hav e b een brou g ht, cou l d have been brought, o r co uld be tim e ly b ro ught i n the Cou rt of Federa l Cla im s, under th e Nationa l V acci ne Injury Compensation P rogra m, 42 U.S.C. § 30 0 aa - I 0 e t se q ., o n account o f , o r in any way g rowing ou t of, any a nd a ll k nown or unkn own, sus p ecte d or un susp ec ted persona l injuri es t o o r death o f petitioner res ulting fr om, or alleged to have re s ulted from, th e hepatiti s A va cc in e administered on January 6 , 2 01 2, as
a ll eged b y petitio n er in a pet iti o n for vacc in e compensat i on filed o n or a b ou t July 29 , 20 1 4, in the United Sta tes Court of Federa l C l aims as pet i t i o n No. 14- 666V. 

### 3

### 14. If p etiti o ner s ho uld di e pri o r to e ntr y o f judgmen t, th is ag reem e nt s hall be vo i da b le up o n proper no tic e to the Co urt on be h a l fo f c ithcr o r b oth o f th e parti es. 15. If 

### the s pe cial ma s ter fail s to is sue a d ec i s io n in co mplete c o nformit y with th e te rm s o f thi s St ipulat io n o r if th e Co urt o f Fed e r a l C laim s fa il s to en te r j ud g me nt in co n fo rmi ty w ith a decis io n that is in com pl e te co nformity w ith th e ter m s o f thi s S tip u l a ti o n , th en the p art ies ' sett l ement a n d t h i s Stipul ati o n s hall be vo ida bl e al the so l e d i screti o n of e ither pa rt y. 16. Thi s Stipul at i o n e xpresses a full and compl ete ne g o ti at e d se ttlem ent of liabilit y a nd d a mag e s claimed under th e N ati o nal C hildho o d Vacc in e Injury Act of 1986, as am en ded, 

### e xce pt
as other wi se no ted in par ag rap h 9 a b o ve. The re is abso lu te l y no a g r ee ment o n th e part o f th e parti es h e re to to m ake an y p ay me nt o r to do a ny act o r th ing o the r t ha n is he r e in expressly sta te d
a nd c l e arl y ag r ee d to. Th e p a rt ies furth er ag r ee a nd und e r s ta nd tha t t he a wa rd d escrib ed in th is
s tipul ati o n ma y re fl ec t a c o mpro mi se o f t he p a rti es' resp e cti v e po siti o n s as to liability and /or
am o unt o f dama g e s , and furth er, that a ch a n g e in th e nat ure of th e injury or condi t i o n o r in th e it em s of co mp en s ati o n sough t , i s no t g r o und s t o m o dif y or revi se thi s agre emen t. 1 7. 

### Th is St ipul at i o n s hall not be c o n s tr ue d a s an a dmi ss io n by th e Unit e d St ates or th e Sec reta ry o f He al th a nd Huma n Se r v ices th a t th e hepa titi s A 

### va c c in e c au se d pet iti o ner 's all ege d in

j uri es, o r an y o th e r i nj u ry, or th at he r cu rre nt d i sa bil itie s a r e sequ e l ae o f h er all ege d injuri es. 1 8. A ll ri g ht s a nd o bliga ti o n s o f p etition e r he r e und e r s ha l I appl y e qu a ll y t o pe titi o n e r' s he ir s, exec ut ors, admini st ra t or s, s uc ce s so rs, a n d/or ass i g n s.

I I 

### END OF STIPUL A TJ ON

4Respectfu ll y s ubmitte d , PETITIONER:

ATTORNEY OF RE CO RD FOR PETITIONER : 

# fdnald f /l (Jl}<Jt

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# ;11N tb 'lh_ 

# [}u1t/s RONALD C
. HOMR

### /!MJ.fS?**fc}f~ )**  Attorne y for Pet it i o ne r CON W AY, HOMER & C HIN- C APLA N, P
. C
. 1 6 S haw m ut Street Boston , MA 02 l 16 ( 617 ) 695-1990

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRE Y OF HEAL TH AND HUM R CES:

AlR , M
. D
. Ac t ing Director, Divisi o n o f Inju ry**Co mp** **~ti n**  Program s H

ea lthca re Syst em s Bureau U.S
. Departmen t of Healt h and Huma n Serv ices 5600 Fis hers La n e P

a r klawn Bui ldi ng , Mail Stop 08N146B Rockville , MD 2 08 5 AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIV E OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL :

! NE E
. REEVES Ac tin g Deputy Director T orts Bran ch C iv il D ivisio n U
. S. Departme nt of Jus t ice P
. O
. Box 146 Ben j amin F rank li n Sta ti o n Washingt o n , DC 20044

- 0 146 ATTORNF.Y OF RECORD FOR RESPONDENT:

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E

ATH ER L. PEAR LMA N Assis t ant Direc t or

5 To rts Branch Civi l Di v is ion U.S
. O ep- .irtmen t o f J113 ticc P
. O
. B ox 1 46 Benjamin Frank li n Station W

as hin gton, DC 20044-0146 (20 2 ) 353-2699