Court Opinion

ID: 4270611
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-04-27 16:04:06.198893+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:05:42.954871
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-715V
                                    Filed: January 17, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    CATHERINE W. VIEGA,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    v.                                                       Table Injury; Tetanus Diphtheria
                                                             acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine;
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                          Administration (SIRVA)

                       Respondent.

Matthew F. Belanger, Faraci Lange, LLP, Rochester, NY, for petitioner.
Ilene Claire Albala, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
       On May 31, 2017, 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 left shoulder injury as a result of a tetanus
vaccination administered on September 26, 2016. Petition at 1. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.
       On January 17, 2018, 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 petitioner’s alleged injury is consistent with
a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”), a Table injury, following
the administration of the tetanus vaccine she received on September 26, 2016.” Id. at

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the
undersigned intends 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). 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.

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).
4. Respondent further agrees that no other cause for petitioner’s injury was identified,
that petitioner met the statutory requirements by suffering the condition for more than
six months, and that petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites to 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