Court Opinion

ID: 4704593
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-07-19 16:04:16.197444+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:05:28.074523
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 19-1627V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    ARMANDO CASTANEDA,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: June 17, 2021
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Tetanus Diphtheria acellular
                                                                Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine; Shoulder
                         Respondent.                            Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                                Administration (SIRVA)

Jerome A. Konkel, Samster Konkel & Safran, S.C., Wauwatosa, WI, for Petitioner.

Tyler King, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

      On October 18, 2019, Armando Castaneda 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”) as a result of a Tetanus Diphtheria acellular Pertussis (“Tdap”)
vaccine that was administered to him on July 18, 2018. Petition at 1. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On April 6, 2021, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for SIRVA. On June 16, 2021, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $60,000.00 for pain and
suffering. Proffer at 1. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees with

1  Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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).
the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner is entitled
to an award as stated in the Proffer.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $60,000 (for pain and suffering) in the form of a check payable to
Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available
under § 15(a).

       The clerk of the court is directed to 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), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.

                                                    2
              IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                        OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

 ARMANDO CASTANEDA,

                Petitioner,

 v.                                                   No. 19-1627V
                                                      Chief Special Master Corcoran
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                              ECF
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                Respondent.

               RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

I.     Procedural History

       On April 5, 2021, respondent filed a Vaccine Rule 4(c) report concluding that petitioner

sustained the onset of a left shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) within

the Table time period following a Tdap vaccine, and therefore sustained an injury that is

compensable under the terms of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, as

amended, 42 U.S.C. §§300aa-10 to -34. ECF No. 28. Accordingly, on April 6, 2021, the Chief

Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement, finding that petitioner was entitled to vaccine

compensation for SIRVA following the Tdap vaccine he received on July 18, 2018. ECF No.

36.

II.    Items of Compensation

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $60,000.00 for pain and

suffering. This represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled under 42

U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.
III.   Form of the Award

       Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through

a lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision

and the Court’s judgment award the following 1: a lump sum payment of $60,000.00, in the

form of a check payable to petitioner.

IV.    Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Armando Castaneda: $60,000.00

                                                    Respectfully submitted,

                                                    BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                                    Acting Assistant Attorney General

                                                    C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO
                                                    Acting Director
                                                    Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                                    HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                                    Acting Deputy Director
                                                    Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                                    TRACI R. PATTON
                                                    Assistant Director
                                                    Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                                    s/ Tyler C. King
                                                    TYLER C. KING
                                                    Trial Attorney
                                                    Torts Branch, Civil Division
                                                    U.S. Department of Justice
                                                    P.O. Box 146
                                                    Benjamin Franklin Station
                                                    Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                                                    Tel: (202) 305-0730
                                                    Tyler.King@usdoj.gov
Dated: June 16, 2021

1Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the
Court for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future pain
and suffering.