Court Opinion

ID: 4531640
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-05-05 12:01:50.137496+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:28:46.208382
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 19-174V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    RICHARD BOOTH,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: April 2, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                              Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                        Respondent.

Anne Carrion Toale, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Sarasota, FL, for petitioner.

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

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On January 31, 2019, Richard Booth 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 he suffered Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) as a
result of his September 18, 2017 influneza (“flu”) vaccination. Petition at 1-4. The case
was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On March 31, 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. Specifically, Respondent indicates that

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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).
      [b]ased on the medical records outlined above, petitioner has satisfied the
      criteria set forth in the revised Vaccine Injury Table and the Qualifications
      and Aids to Interpretation, which affords petitioner a presumption of
      causation if onset of GBS occurs between three and forty-two days after
      receipt of a seasonal flu vaccination and there is no apparent alternative
      cause. 42 C.F.R. § 100.3(a)(XIV)(D), (c)(15).

Id. at 5 (footnote omitted). Respondent further agrees that

      the medical records demonstrate that petitioner has experienced the
      residual effects of his GBS for more than six months. See 42 U.S.C. §
      300aa-13(a)(1)(B); 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-11(c)(1)(D)(I). Therefore, based on
      the case record as it now stands, petitioner has satisfied all legal
      prerequisites for compensation under the Act.

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

                                            2