In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS 

No. 17-0696V 

 Filed: February 26, 2018 

UNPUBLISHED 

VALERIE MULHOLLAND, 

 Petitioner, 

v. 

SECRETARY OF HEALTH 

AND HUMAN SERVICES, 

 Respondent. 

Special Processing Unit (SPU); 

Ruling on Entitlement; Concession; 

Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; 

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine 

Administration (SIRVA) 

   

Shealene Priscilla Wasserman, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner. 

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

RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master: 

 On May 25, 2017, Valerie Mulholland (“petitioner”) 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 as a result of an 

influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on January 2, 2015 in her left shoulder, she 

suffered a left shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at 1. 

The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters. 

On February 26, 2018, 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. Specifically, respondent states that “petitioner’s medical course is 

consistent with a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (‘SIRVA’) as defined 

                                                            

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the 

undersigned intends 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). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits 

within this definition, the undersigned 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). 
on the Vaccine Injury Table. Specifically, petitioner had no recent history of pain, 

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

receipt of an intramuscular vaccination, pain was limited to the shoulder where the 

vaccine was administered, and no other condition or abnormality, such as brachial 

neuritis, has been identified to explain petitioner’s shoulder pain. 42 C.F.R. §§ 100.3(a); 

42 C.F.R. 100.3(c)(10). Additionally, based on the medical records outlined above, 

petitioner suffered the residual effects of her condition for more than six months.” Id. at 

6. 

 In view of respondent’s position and the evidence of record, the 

undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 s/Nora Beth Dorsey 

 Nora Beth Dorsey 

 Chief Special Master