Court Opinion

ID: 4451032
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-10-29 16:01:50.160893+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:05:31.410933
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1022V
                                      Filed: August 9, 2019
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    MARTHA PATRICIA MENDEZ,

                         Petitioner,                          Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    v.                                                        Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
                                                              Causation-In-Fact; Influenza (Flu)
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Vaccine; Axillary Nerve Injury
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                        Respondent.

Larry Lee Thweatt, Jr. Terry & Thweatt, PC, Houston, TX, for petitioner.
Darryl R. Wishard, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On July 16, 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 a nerve injury to her right shoulder from an
influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on September 18, 2017. Petition at 1. The case
was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On August 8, 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
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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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).
at 1. Specifically, respondent states that “a preponderance of the medical evidence
establishes that petitioner’s right axillary nerve injury was caused-in-fact by the flu
vaccine she received on September 18, 2017.” Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that
“petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Vaccine Act.”
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

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