Court Opinion

ID: 7800650
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-08-15 17:03:03.130796+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:29:07.529600
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 21-0634V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

 DOLORES FERNANDES,                                         Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: July 15, 2022
 v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                    Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
 HUMAN SERVICES,                                            Table Injury; Pneumococcal
                                                            Conjugate Vaccine; Shoulder Injury
                       Respondent.                          Related to Vaccine Administration
                                                            (SIRVA)

Jessi Carin Huff, Maglio, Christopher & Toale, Seattle, WA, for Petitioner.

Sarah Black Rifkin, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On January 12, 2021, Dolores Fernandes 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 from a shoulder injury related to
vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine she
received on October 11, 2018. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges that her vaccine-
related injury lasted more than six months. Petition at ¶21. The case was assigned to the
Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On July 14, 2022, 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.

1 Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 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, 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).
Specifically, Respondent states that “Petitioner had no history of pain, inflammation or
dysfunction in her right shoulder; her pain occurred within forty-eight hours of receipt of
an intramuscular vaccination; her pain and reduced range of motion were limited to the
shoulder in which the vaccine was administered; and no other condition or abnormality
was identified to explain her symptoms.” Id. at 7. Respondent further agrees that “the
statutory six month sequela requirement has been satisfied.” Id.

       In view of Respondent’s position and the evidence of record, I find that
Petitioner is entitled to compensation.

      IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                       s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                                       Brian H. Corcoran
                                                       Chief Special Master

                                            2