Court Opinion

ID: 4177456
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-06-14 20:06:54.893689+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:39:07.746968
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 16-778V
                                    Filed: January 13, 2017
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
ROMEO RAABE,                              *
                                          *
                     Petitioner,          *      Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
v.                                        *      Influenza;
                                          *      Shoulder Injury; SIRVA;
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                       *      Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                       *
                                          *
                     Respondent.          *
                                          *
****************************
Paul Brazil, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Debra Filteau Begley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On June 30, 2016, 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 he suffered a shoulder injury following his October 6, 2015
influenza vaccination. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing
Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On January 12, 2017, respondent filed her Rule 4(c) report in which she
concedes that petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule
4(c) Report at 1. Specifically, respondent “has determined that the alleged injury is
consistent with SIRVA [i.e. shoulder injury related to vaccine administration] that was
caused by the administration of petitioner’s influenza vaccination”. Id. at 4. Respondent
further agrees that no other cause for petitioner’s injury was identified, that petitioner

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
suffered residual effects of his injury for more than six months, and that petitioner has
satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Vaccine Act. Id.

     In view of respondent’s concession and the evidence before me, the
undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                   s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                   Nora Beth Dorsey
                                   Chief Special Master

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