Court Opinion

ID: 3200371
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-05-04 16:05:56.499785+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:03:15.386245
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 15-1174V
                                    Filed: January 14, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
COLT SANDERS,                          *
                                       *
                   Petitioner,         *      Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
                                       *      Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                       *      Injury Related to Vaccine Administration
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                    *      (“SIRVA”); Special Processing Unit
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                    *      (“SPU”)
                                       *
                   Respondent.         *
                                       *
****************************
John Robert Howie, Jr., Howie Law, P.C., Dallas, TX, for petitioner.
Lisa Ann Watts, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

      On October 9, 2015, 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 related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine he received on
November 1, 2014. Petition at 1, ¶¶1-17. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On January 14, 2016, 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 states that “petitioner’s SIRVA was more
likely than not caused by the November 1, 2014 flu vaccination. In addition, given the
medical records outlined above, the six month sequela requirement has been satisfied.”

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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, Pub. L. No. 107-347, § 205, 116 Stat. 2899, 2913 (codified as amended
at 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2006)). 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.
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).
Id. at 4 (citations omitted). Thus, respondent concludes that “petitioner has satisfied all
legal prerequisites for compensation under the 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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