Court Opinion

ID: 4437412
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-09-11 20:02:02.198678+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:46:16.269280
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-947V
                                       Filed: June 19, 2019
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    SANDRA WILLIAMS,
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                         Petitioner,                          Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    v.                                                        Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                              Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                        Respondent.

Bridget Candace McCullough, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Voris Edward Johnson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
       On June 29, 2018, 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 suffered Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) as a result
of the adverse effects of the influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on November 16,
2015. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office
of Special Masters.

1The undersigned intends to post this ruling on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website. 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, the undersigned
agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from
public access. Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this
case, undersigned is 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).
2National 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 19, 2019, 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 concludes that petitioner suffered the Table injury of GBS
following a flu vaccine within the Table time period, and there is not a preponderance of
the medical evidence that petitioner’s GBS was due to a factor unrelated to the
vaccination. Id. at 11. Respondent further agrees that petitioner experienced sequelae
of her GBS for more than six months. Id.
     In view of respondent’s position and the evidence of record, the
undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                  s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                  Nora Beth Dorsey
                                  Chief Special Master