Court Opinion

ID: 4555111
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-08-12 20:02:11.925604+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:20.422772
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 19-0302V
                                        (not to be published)

    HEATHER A. CHASMAN,
    Executor of the                                             Chief Special Master Corcoran
    ESTATE OF STEPHEN BURRITT,
                                                                Filed: July 9, 2020
                         Petitioner,
    v.                                                          Special Processing Unit                 (SPU);
                                                                Attorney’s Fees and Costs
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                         Respondent.

Matthew F. Belanger, Faraci Lange, LLP, Rochester, NY, for Petitioner.

Traci R. Patton, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                       DECISION ON ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS 1

       On February 26, 2019, Heather A. Chasman (“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 her father, Stephen Burritt,
suffered Guillain-Barre syndrome as a result of an influenza vaccination administered to
him on September 28, 2017, which led to his death on October 25, 2017. (Petition at 1).

1  Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 Decision 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 April 21, 2020, a decision was issued awarding compensation to Petitioner based on
the Respondent’s proffer. (ECF No. 29).

       Petitioner has now filed a motion for attorney’s fees and costs, dated May 8, 2020,
(ECF No. 33), requesting a total award of $23,438.85 (representing $23,012.50 in fees
and $426.35 in costs). Pursuant to General Order #9, Petitioner filed a signed statement
indicating that she did not incur out-of-pocket expenses in pursuit of her claim. (ECF No.
33-3). Respondent reacted to the motion on May 15, 2020, indicating that he is satisfied
that the statutory requirements for an award of attorney’s fees and costs are met in this
case and defers to the Court’s discretion to determine the amount to be awarded. (ECF
No. 34). Petitioner did not file a reply thereafter.

       I have reviewed the billing records submitted with Petitioner’s request. In my
experience, the request appears reasonable, and I find no cause to reduce the requested
hours or rates.

       The Vaccine Act permits an award of reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. §
15(e). Accordingly, I hereby GRANT Petitioner’s Motion for attorney’s fees and costs. I
award a total of $23,438.85 (representing $23,012.50 in fees and $426.35 in costs) as a
lump sum in the form of a check jointly payable to Petitioner and Petitioner’s counsel. In
the absence of a timely-filed motion for review (see Appendix B to the Rules of the Court),
the Clerk shall enter judgment in accordance with this decision. 3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                               s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                                               Brian H. Corcoran
                                                               Chief Special Master

3
  Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), the parties may expedite entry of judgment by filing a joint notice renouncing their
right to seek review.
                                                          2