Court Opinion

ID: 6113438
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-01-27 22:01:09.644598+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:02:37.838553
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-1118V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    LISA A. WHITEHEAD,                                      Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: December 28, 2021
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                       Respondent.                          Administration (SIRVA)

Richard H. Moeller, Moore, Heffernan, et al., Sioux City, IA, for Petitioner.

Joseph Adam Lewis, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

      On September 2, 2020, Lisa Whitehead 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) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination received on October
3, 2019. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office
of Special Masters.

       On December 16, 2021, 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. Specifically, it is Respondent’s position that Petitioner suffered a SIRVA as
defined by the Vaccine Injury Table. Id. at 6. Specifically, Respondent agrees that

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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
Petitioner had no recent history of pain, inflammation, or dysfunction of her left shoulder
that would explain the alleged signs, symptoms, examination findings, and/or diagnostic
studies occurring after vaccination; the onset of pain occurred within 48 hours after receipt
of an intramuscular vaccination; Petitioner’s pain was limited to the shoulder in which the
vaccine was administered; and no other condition or abnormality has been identified to
explain Petitioner’s left shoulder pain. 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

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