Court Opinion

ID: 8205588
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-12 13:01:07.000886+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:41:09.523122
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 20-1402V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    LETICIA STARR,                                              Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: August 10, 2022
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                                Injury Related to Vaccine
                         Respondent.                            Administration (SIRVA)

Ronald Craig Homer, Conway, Homer, P.C., Boston, MA, for Petitioner.

Dhairya Divyakant Jani, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

      On October 16, 2020, Leticia Starr 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 related to vaccine
administration (SIRVA) after an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on November 3,
2018. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office
of Special Masters.

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   Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
       On January 19, 2022, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled
to compensation for a left SIRVA. ECF 32. On August 10, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer
on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $46,086.23,
consisting of:

    •   $45,000.00 in pain and suffering, and
    •   $1,086.23 in past unreimbursable expenses

Proffer at 2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees with 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 $46,086.23 in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This amount
represents compensation for all damages that would be available under Section 15(a).

        The Clerk of 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

*****************************
                            *
LETICIA STARR,              *
                            *
               Petitioner,  *
                            *
v.                          *                               No. 20-1402V (ECF)
                            *                               CHIEF SPECIAL MASTER
                            *                               BRIAN H. CORCORAN
SECRETARY OF HEALTH         *
AND HUMAN SERVICES,         *
                            *
               Respondent.  *
*****************************

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On October 16, 2020, Leticia Starr (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation under

the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (“Vaccine Act”

or “Act”), alleging that she suffered a left Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration

(“SIRVA”), as defined in the Vaccine Injury Table, following administration of an influenza

(“flu”) vaccine on November 3, 2018. Petition at 1. On January 3, 2022, the Secretary of Health

and Human Services (“respondent”) filed a Rule 4(c) Report indicating that this case is

appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act for a SIRVA Table injury, and on

January 19, 2022, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement finding petitioner

entitled to compensation. ECF No. 30; ECF No. 32.

I.     Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $45,000.00 in pain and suffering.

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.
       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that she incurred past unreimbursable

expenses related to her vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be

awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $1,086.23. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-

15(a)(1)(B). Petitioner agrees.

       These amounts represent all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled

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

II.    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 $46,086.23, in the form of a

check payable to petitioner.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Leticia Starr:                        $46,086.23

                                              Respectfully submitted,

                                              BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                              Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

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

                                              HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                              Deputy Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division
1
  Should 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 lost earnings
and future pain and suffering.
                                                 2
                         DARRYL R. WISHARD
                         Assistant Director
                         Torts Branch, Civil Division

                         /s/ DHAIRYA D. JANI
                         DHAIRYA D. JANI
                         Trial Attorney
                         U.S. Department of Justice
                         Torts Branch, Civil Division
                         P.O. Box 146
                         Benjamin Franklin Station
                         Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                         Tel: (202) 616-4356
                         Email: Dhairya.Jani@usdoj.gov
Dated: August 10, 2022

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