Court Opinion

ID: 4469744
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-01-07 13:02:34.947162+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:51:48.263460
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1505V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    JENNIFER KAPPRE,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: December 3, 2019
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                              Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                        Respondent.                           Administration (SIRVA)

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.

Daniel Anthony Principato, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
respondent.

                                     RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On September 28, 2018, Jennifer Kappre 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 left shoulder injury related to
vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination she
received on October 6, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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

2National 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 December 2, 2019, 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 agrees that “petitioner’s medical course is
consistent with SIRVA as defined 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.” Id. at 3-4. Respondent further agrees that petitioner suffered the
residual effects of her condition for more than six months and has satisfied all legal
prerequisites for compensation under the Act. Id. at 4.

       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

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