Court Opinion

ID: 4275922
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-05-17 12:01:30.629664+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:33:49.451458
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-966V
                                      Filed: March 5, 2018
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    ROWENA ADCOX,

                        Petitioner,                          Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    v.                                                       Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
                                                             Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Injury Related to Vaccine
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                          Administration (SIRVA)

                       Respondent.

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
       petitioner.
Darryl R. Wishard, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                               DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On July 18, 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 injuries to include a shoulder injury related to
vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) after receiving the influenza vaccine in her left deltoid
on October 11, 2016. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 1, 5. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On January 23, 2018, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner
entitled to compensation for her SIRVA. On March 5, 2018, respondent filed a proffer
on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded
$80,000.00. Proffer at 2. In the Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, the undersigned awards
petitioner a lump sum payment of $80,000.00 in the form of a check payable to
petitioner, Rowena Adcox. 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/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          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
___________________________________
                                    )
ROWENA ADCOX,                       )
                                    )
       Petitioner,                  )    No. 17-966V ECF
                                    )
              v.                    )    Chief Special Master Dorsey
                                    )
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                 )
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                 )
                                    )
       Respondent.                  )
___________________________________ )

                      PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION 1

I.     Procedural History

       On July 18, 2017, Rowena Adcox (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

(“Petition”) under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -

34, as amended. She alleges that, as a result of receiving the influenza (“flu”) vaccine on

October 11, 2016, she suffered from a left shoulder injury related to vaccine administration

(“SIRVA”). Petition at 1-2. On January 23, 2018, respondent filed his Vaccine Rule 4(c) report,

conceding causation-in-fact for a SIRVA to petitioner’s left arm. On January 23, 2018, the Chief

Special Master issued a ruling on entitlement, finding that petitioner was entitled to

compensation for a SIRVA to petitioner’s left arm.

II.    Items of Compensation

       Petitioner has alleged entitlement to the following elements of compensation: past and

future pain and suffering; past unreimbursed expenses; and, projected unreimbursable expenses.

       1
         This Proffer does not include attorneys’ fees and costs, which the parties intend to
address after the Damages Decision is issued.
Based upon the evidence of record, respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded

$80,000.00, which represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner would be entitled

under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

III.   Form of the Award

       Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a lump sum payment of $80,000.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner. 2

Petitioner agrees.

                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                             CHAD A. READLER
                                             Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                             CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                             Deputy Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             ALEXIS B. BABCOCK
                                             Assistant Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

       2
          Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, respondent would oppose any award
for future medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering, and the parties
reserve the right to move the Court for appropriate relief.

                                                 2
                       /s/Darryl R. Wishard
                       DARRYL R. WISHARD
                       Senior Trial Attorney
                       Torts Branch, Civil Division
                       U. S. Department of Justice
                       P.O. Box l46, Benjamin Franklin Station
                       Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                       Direct dial: (202) 616-4357
Dated: March 5, 2018   Fax: (202) 616-4310

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