Court Opinion

ID: 4702854
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-07-12 16:05:12.540461+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:06:25.912454
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-0295V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    CHRIS HEMPEL,                                           Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: June 11, 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)

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

Mallori Browne Openchowski, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
       Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

        On March 16, 2020, Chris Hempel 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 a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”), which meets the definition of a Table SIRVA, after receiving the
influenza vaccine on October 15, 2018. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 1, 9. Petitioner further alleges
that he received the vaccine in the United States, that he suffered the residual effects of
his SIRVA for more than six months, and that neither he nor any other party has filed a
civil action or received compensation for his injury. 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1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa
(2012).
       On June 11, 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 “believes that {P]etitioner alleged injury is consistent with a
SIRVA, as defined on the Vaccine Injury Table.” Id. at 3. Respondent further agrees that
“based on the records as it now stands, [P]etitioner 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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