Court Opinion

ID: 5128656
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-11-23 14:02:05.187569+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:23:07.612587
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-0986V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    LYNDSAY RANDLE,                                         Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: October 13, 2021
    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)

Jimmy A. Zgheib, Zgheib Sayad, P.C., White Plains, NY, for Petitioner.

Terrence Kevin Mangan, Jr., U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

        On August 7, 2020, Lyndsay Randle 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 vaccine received on September 30,
2019. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges the vaccine was administered in the United
States, her injuries have persisted for more than six months, and neither Petitioner, nor
any other party, has ever filed an action or received compensation in the form of an award
or settlement for Petitioner’s vaccine-related injury. Petition at ¶¶ 4, 23-25. 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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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.
2
 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease
of citation, all section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C.
§ 300aa (2012).
        On October 13, 2021, 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 had no apparent history of pain,
inflammation, or dysfunction of the affected shoulder prior to intramuscular vaccine
administration that would explain the alleged signs, symptoms, examination findings,
and/or diagnostic studies occurring after vaccine injection; she more likely than not
suffered the onset of pain within forty-eight hours of vaccine administration; her pain and
reduced range of motion were limited to the shoulder in which the intramuscular vaccine
was administered; and there is no other condition or abnormality present that would
explain Petitioner’s’ symptoms. Id. at 3. Respondent further agrees that the records show
that the case was timely filed, the vaccine was received in the United States, Petitioner
satisfies the statutory severity requirement by suffering the residual effects or
complications of her injury for more than six months, and Petitioner avers that she has
not filed a civil action or received any compensation in the form of an award or civil
settlement for her vaccine-related injuries. 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

                                            2