Court Opinion

ID: 4519616
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-03-26 12:01:29.280494+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:27.977610
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1383V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    RUTH THOMPSON,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: February 18, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                              Injury Related to Vaccine
                        Respondent.                           Administration (SIRVA)

Michael G. McLaren, Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C., Memphis, TN, for
petitioner.

Sarah Christina Duncan, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

       On September 11, 2018, 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 left shoulder injury that was
caused by an influenza (“flu”) vaccination in her left deltoid on November 1, 2017.
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

        On September 13, 2019, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner
entitled to compensation for he SIRVA. On February 13, 2020, Respondent filed a
proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded
$100,000.00, representing compensation for her actual and projected pain and
1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 decision 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.

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).
suffering.3 Proffer at 1. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees
with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner is
entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

      Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $100,000.00, representing compensation for her actual and
projected pain and suffering, in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This
amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under § 15(a).

       The clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this
decision.4

IT IS SO ORDERED.

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

3The Proffer indicates this amount has been reduced to reflect the net present value of the amount of
compensation for Petitioner’s projected pain and suffering. See § 15(a)(4).

4 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

                                                   )
 RUTH THOMPSON,                                    )
                                                   )
                  Petitioner,                      )
                                                   )    No. 18-1383V
 v.                                                )    Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                   )    ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN                     )
 SERVICES,                                         )
                                                   )
                  Respondent.                      )
                                                   )

               RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

          On September 11, 2018, Ruth Thompson (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34

(“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), alleging that she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine

Administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on November

1, 2017. Petition at 1. On September 11, 2019, the Secretary of Health and Human Services

(“respondent”) filed a Rule 4(c) Report indicating that this case is appropriate for compensation

under the terms of the Act, and on September 13, 2019, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling

on Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to compensation. ECF No. 28; ECF No. 29.

I.        Items of Compensation

          A.     Pain and Suffering

          Respondent proffers that Ruth Thompson should be awarded $100,000.00 in actual and

projected pain and suffering. This amount reflects that the award for projected pain and

suffering has been reduced to net present value. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner

agrees.
II.    Form of the Award

       Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to Ruth Thompson should be made

through a lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s

decision and the Court’s judgment award the following1: a lump sum payment of $100,000.00,

representing compensation for pain and suffering, in the form of a check payable to petitioner,

Ruth Thompson.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Ruth Thompson:                               $100,000.00

                                              Respectfully submitted,

                                              JOSEPH H. HUNT
                                              Assistant Attorney General

                                              C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO
                                              Acting Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                              CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                              Deputy Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                              ALEXIS B. BABCOCK
                                              Assistant Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

1
  Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the Court
for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future lost earnings
and future pain and suffering.
                                                 2
                           s/ Sarah C. Duncan
                           SARAH C. DUNCAN
                           Trial Attorney
                           Torts Branch, Civil Division
                           U.S. Department of Justice
                           P.O. Box 146
                           Benjamin Franklin Station
                           Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                           Tel: (202) 514-9729
                           Fax: (202) 616-4310
DATED: February 13, 2020

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