Court Opinion

ID: 6351683
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-06-21 17:01:12.345599+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:49:11.291445
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-1829V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    TARA LEACH,                                             Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: May 9, 2022
    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)

Amy A. Senerth, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for Petitioner.

Lauren Kells, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On December 11, 2020, Tara Leach 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 left shoulder injuries related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza vaccine received on November 8,
2019. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges that the vaccine was administered in the
United States, her injuries and sequelae lasted 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 injuries. Petition at ¶¶ 2, 8-
10. 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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 May 6, 2022, 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 contributory history of pain,
inflammation or dysfunction in her left shoulder prior to vaccination; her pain and reduced
range of motion occurred within 48 hours of receipt of an intramuscular vaccination; her
symptoms were limited to the shoulder in which the vaccine was administered; and no
other condition or abnormality was identified to adequately explain her symptoms.” Id. at
8.

       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