Court Opinion

ID: 4319432
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-10-11 20:03:29.181528+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:15.788172
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 17-1311V
                                      Filed: July 13, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    JULIA WADE,

                        Petitioner,
    v.                                                       Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                                                             Attorneys’ Fees and Costs
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

Ann Mayhew Golski, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for petitioner.
Camille Michelle Collett, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                      DECISION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On September 22, 2017, 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 she sustained a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) caused by the influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on
September 29, 2016. Petition at 1-2. On May 15, 2018, the undersigned issued a
decision awarding compensation to petitioner based on the respondent’s proffer. (ECF
No. 29).

      On June 28, 2018, petitioner filed a motion for attorneys’ fees and costs. (ECF
No. 34). Petitioner requests attorneys’ fees in the amount of $20,546.20 and attorneys’

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
costs in the amount of $751.83. Id. at 1-2. In compliance with General Order #9,
petitioner filed a signed statement indicating that petitioner incurred no out-of-pocket
expenses. Id. at 2. Thus, the total amount requested is $21,298.03.

          Respondent has filed no response.

      The undersigned has reviewed the billing records submitted with petitioner’s
request. In the undersigned’s experience, the request appears reasonable, and the
undersigned finds no cause to reduce the requested hours or rates, with the following
exception.

       Upon review of the billing records submitted, it appears that a number of entries
are for tasks considered clerical or administrative overhead. It is clearly established that
secretarial work “should be considered as normal overhead office costs included within
the attorneys’ fee rates.” Rochester v. U.S., 18 Cl. Ct. 379, 387 (1989); Dingle v. Sec’y
of Health & Human Servs., No. 08-579V, 2014 WL 630473, at *4 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr.
Jan. 24, 2014). “[B]illing for clerical and other secretarial work is not permitted in the
Vaccine Program.” Mostovoy, 2016 WL 720969, at *5 (citing Rochester, 18 Cl. Ct. at
387). A total of 0.90 hours 3 was billed by paralegals on tasks considered administrative
including, opening and setting up client files, organizing documents and sending
correspondence. For these reasons the undersigned reduces the attorney’s fees
request in the amount of $125.50. 4

      The Vaccine Act permits an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
§ 15(e). Based on the reasonableness of petitioner’s request, the undersigned
GRANTS petitioner’s motion for attorneys’ fees and costs.

      Accordingly, the undersigned awards the total of $21,172.53 5 as a lump
sum in the form of a check jointly payable to petitioner and petitioner’s counsel
Ann Mayhew Golski. Petitioner requests check be forwarded to Maglio
Christopher & Toale, PA, 1605 Main Street, Suite 710, Sarasota, Florida, 34236.

3Examples of these entries include: November 8, 2016 (0.2 hrs) “Open client file and create same.”
December 16, 2016, 2016 (0.20 hrs) “Receive and organize retainer packet.” and July 13, 2017 (0.20 hrs)
“Receive marriage license from client and save to file.” These entries are merely examples and are not
exhaustive.

4   This amount consists of 0.5 hours at $135 per hour and 0.4 hours at $145 per hour.
5This amount is intended to cover all legal expenses incurred in this matter. This award encompasses all
charges by the attorney against a client, “advanced costs” as well as fees for legal services rendered.
Furthermore, § 15(e)(3) prevents an attorney from charging or collecting fees (including costs) that would
be in addition to the amount awarded herein. See generally Beck v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
924 F.2d 1029 (Fed. Cir.1991).

                                                     2
        The clerk of the court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith. 6

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                           s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Chief Special Master

6 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.
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