Court Opinion

ID: 6221516
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-02-14 18:01:55.767475+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:57:22.548296
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 19-1753V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    JASON MANUS,                                                Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: January 14, 2022
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
                                                                Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related to
                         Respondent.                            Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)

Maximillian J. Muller, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for Petitioner.

Jennifer Leigh Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

       On November 13, 2019, Jason Manus 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 right shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) from a human papillomavirus (“HPV”) vaccine he received on
January 24, 2019. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of
the Office of Special Masters.

       On April 28, 2021, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for his right SIRVA injury. ECF No. 24. On January 14, 2022, Respondent
filed a proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be
awarded $62,813.72, representing $62,500.00 in actual and projected pain and suffering
and $313.72 in past reimbursable expenses. Proffer at ¶I(A)-(C). In the Proffer,

1  Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
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 $62,813.72 in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This amount
represents compensation for all damages that would be available under Section 15(a).

       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
                  THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                          OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

 JASON MANUS,

                Petitioner,                            No. 19-1753V
                                                       Chief Special Master Corcoran
 v.

 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                Respondent.

                              PROFFER ON AWARD OF DAMAGES

       On November 13, 2019, Jason Manus (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

(“Petition”) under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -

34 (“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), as amended. Petitioner alleges that he suffered a right Shoulder

Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”) resulting from a human papilloma virus

(“HPV”) vaccination administered on January 24, 2019. Petition at Preamble. Respondent

concluded that petitioner’s alleged injury satisfied the criteria of the Vaccine Injury Table, and

therefore conceded petitioner’s entitlement to compensation in his Rule 4(c) Report filed on

April 28, 2021. ECF No. 23. Based on Respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report the Court found

petitioner entitled to compensation on April 29, 2021. ECF No. 24.

I.    Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $62,500.00 in actual and projected

pain and suffering. This amount reflects that any award for projected pain and suffering has

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

                                                 1
       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents his expenditure of past unreimbursable

expenses related to his vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be

awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $313.72. Petitioner agrees.

II.    Form of the Award

       Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a lump sum payment of $62,813.72 in the form of a check made payable to petitioner. 1

This lump sum payment represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner would be

entitled under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

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

                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                             BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                             Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                             HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                             Deputy Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             ALEXIS B. BABCOCK
                                             Assistant Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

1
 Should petitioner die prior to the entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the
Court for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future
medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering.

                                                 2
                          s/Jennifer L. Reynaud
                          JENNIFER L. REYNAUD
                          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) 305-1586
                          Jennifer.L.Reynaud@usdoj.gov

DATED: January 14, 2022

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