Court Opinion

ID: 4446769
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-10-15 16:02:05.910084+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:25:19.912438
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1143V
                                       Filed: July 25, 2019
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    IRIS J. JACKSON,

                         Petitioner,                          Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    v.                                                        Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
                                                              Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH                                       Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
    AND HUMAN SERVICES,                                       Administration (SIRVA)

                        Respondent.

Jimmy A. Zgheib, Zgheib Sayad, P.C., White Plains, NY, for petitioner.
Ashley Monique Simpson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On August 6, 2018, Iris J. Jackson (“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 shoulder injury related
to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine she
received on September 25, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

1
  The 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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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).
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).
        On July 24, 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 at 1.
Specifically, respondent states that

       [t]he Division of Injury Compensation Programs has reviewed the facts of this
       case and concluded that petitioner’s claim meets the Table criteria for SIRVA.
       Specifically, petitioner had no history of pain, inflammation or dysfunction of the
       affected shoulder prior to intramuscular vaccine administration that would explain
       the alleged signs, symptoms, examination findings, and/or diagnostic studies
       occurring after vaccine injection; she suffered the onset of pain within forty eight
       hours of vaccine administration; her pain and reduced range of motion were
       limited to the shoulder in which the intramuscular vaccine was administered; and
       there is no other condition or abnormality present that would explain petitioner’s
       symptoms. Therefore, petitioner is entitled to compensation.

Id. at 4-5. Respondent further agrees that “the records show that the case was timely
filed, that the vaccine was received in the United States, and that petitioner satisfies the
statutory severity requirement by suffering the residual effects or complications of her
injury for more than six months after vaccine administration.” 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

                                             2