Court Opinion

ID: 5118672
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-10-15 13:03:49.263072+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:22:08.537212
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 19-1635V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    TATUM BREVIG,                                              Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,
    v.                                                         Filed: September 14, 2021

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                    Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                            Stipulation on Damages; Influenza
                                                               (Flu); Shoulder Injury Related to
                        Respondent.                            Vaccine Administration (SIRVA).

Seth Zawila, Robins Kaplan LLP, Minneapolis, MN, for Petitioner.

Christine Mary Becer, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                               DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

      On October 21, 2019, Tatum Brevig 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”) causally related to her receipt of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine on
October 22, 2016. Petition at 1; Stipulation filed September 14, 2021 (ECF No. 36) at ¶¶
1-4.

      On September 14, 2021, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, which states
that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. I find the stipulation
reasonable and adopt it as my decision awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

1
  Because this unpublished opinion contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 opinion 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).
     Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation, I award the following
compensation:

            •   A lump sum of $20,000.00 in the form of a check payable to Petitioner.
                Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of
                damages that would be available under Section 15(a). Id.

       I approve the requested amount for Petitioner’s compensation. In the absence of
a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the 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

                                              )
TATUM BREVIG,                                 )
                                              )
                Petitioner,                   )
                                              )       No. 19-1635V
        v.                                    )       Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                              )       ECF
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                       )
HUMAN SERVICES,                               )
                                              )
               Respondent.                    )

                                         STIPULATION

        The parties hereby stipulate to the following matters:

        1. Tatum Brevig, petitioner, filed a petition for vaccine compensation under the National

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-10 to -34 (the "Vaccine Program").

The petition seeks compensation for injuries allegedly related to petitioner's receipt of an

influenza ("flu") vaccine, which vaccine is contained in the Vaccine Injury Table (the "Table"),

42 C.F.R. § 100.3 (a).

        2. Petitioner received the flu vaccine on October 22, 2016.

       3. The vaccination was administered within the United States.

       4. Petitioner alleges that she sustained a left shoulder injury related to vaccine

administration ("SIRVA") within the time period set forth in the Table, or in the alternative, that

her alleged shoulder injury was caused by the vaccine. She further alleges that she experienced

the residual effects of her alleged injury for more than six months.

       5. Petitioner represents that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action

for damages on her behalf as a result of her condition.
        6. Respondent denies that petitioner suffered a SIRVA Table injury, and denies that the

flu vaccine caused petitioner to suffer from a left shoulder injury or any other injury or her

current condition.

        7. Maintaining their above-stated positions, the parties nevertheless now agree that the

issues between them shall be settled and that a decision should be entered awarding the

compensation described in paragraph 8 of this Stipulation.

       8. As soon as practicable after an entry of judgment reflecting a decision consistent with

the terms of this Stipulation, and after petitioner has filed an election to receive compensation

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-2l(a)(l ), the Secretary of Health and Human Services will issue

the following vaccine compensation payment:

       A lump sum of $20,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner. This
       amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under 42
       U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a).

       9. As soon as practicable after the entry of judgment on entitlement in this case, and after

petitioner has filed both a proper and timely election to receive compensation pursuant to

42 U.S.C. § 300aa-21 (a)( 1), and an application, the parties will submit to further proceedings

before the special master to award reasonable attorneys' fees and costs incurred in proceeding

upon this petition.

        I 0. Petitioner and her attorney represent that compensation to be provided pursuant to

this Stipulation is not for any items or services for which the Program is not primarily liable

under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa•l5(g), to the extent that payment has been made or can reasonably be

expected to be made under any State compensation programs, insurance policies, Federal or

State health benefits programs (other than Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

§ 1396 et seq.)), or by entities that provide health services on a pre-paid basis.

                                                  2
        11. Payment made pursuant to paragraph 8 of this Stipulation and any amounts awarded

pursuant to paragraph 9 of this Stipulation will be made in accordance \\