In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS 

No. 19-0714V 

UNPUBLISHED 

HELEN LEONARD, 

 Petitioner, 

v. 

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES, 

 Respondent. 

Chief Special Master Corcoran 

Filed: September 3, 2020 

Special Processing Unit (SPU); 

Ruling on Entitlement; Concession; 

Table Injury; Tetanus Diphtheria 

acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine; 

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine 

Administration (SIRVA) 

   

Michael G. McLaren, Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C., Memphis, TN, for 

Petitioner. 

Adriana Ruth Teitel, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent. 

RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

 On May 15, 2019, Helen Leonard 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 she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine 

administration (“SIRVA”) Table injury as a result of a Tdap vaccination she received on 

February 22, 2018. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit 

of the Office of Special Masters. 

On September 3, 2020, Respondent filed his Rule 4(c) report in which he concedes 

that Petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report at

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required 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 ruling 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 of 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 subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa 

(2012). 
2

1. Specifically, Respondent states that Petitioner’s medical course is consistent with 

SIRVA as defined by the Vaccine Injury Table and corresponding Qualifications and Aids 

to Interpretation. Specifically, petitioner had no pre-vaccination history of pain, 

inflammation, or dysfunction of her left shoulder; pain occurred within 48 hours after 

receipt of an intramuscular vaccination; pain and reduced range of motion were limited to 

the shoulder in which the vaccine was administered; and, no other condition or 

abnormality, such as brachial neuritis, has been identified to explain petitioner’s shoulder 

pain. Id. at 6. Respondent further agrees that “petitioner suffered the residual effects of 

her condition for more than six months.” Id. 

 In view of Respondent’s position and the evidence of record, I find that 

Petitioner is entitled to compensation. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 s/Brian H. Corcoran 

 Brian H. Corcoran 

 Chief Special Master