Court Opinion

ID: 4164130
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-04-27 20:06:36.423726+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:23:53.068577
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 16-1212V
                                   Filed: December 27, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
DIANE GIBSON,                          *
                                       *
                   Petitioner,         *      Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
v.                                     *      Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                       *      Injury Related to Vaccine Administration
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                    *      (“SIRVA”); Special Processing Unit
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                    *      (“SPU”)
                                       *
                   Respondent.         *
                                       *
****************************
Michael G. McLaren, Black McLaren, et al., P.C., Memphis, TN, for petitioner.
Daniel Anthony Principato, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
respondent.
                            RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On September 27, 2016, Diane Gibson (“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 shoulder
injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”)
vaccine she received on January 14, 2016. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the
Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On December 22, 2016, respondent filed her Rule 4(c) report in which she
concedes that petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule
4(c) Report at 1. Specifically, respondent concludes that “a preponderance of the
evidence establishes that the injury to Petitioner’s left shoulder was caused-in-fact by
the administration of the flu vaccine on January 14, 2016, Petitioner’s injury is not due to
factors unrelated to the administration of the flu vaccine, and Petitioner has suffered the

1
  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the
undersigned intends 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). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits
within this definition, the undersigned 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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
sequela of her injury for more than six months. Id. at 3. Respondent further agrees that
petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Vaccine Act.
Id.

     In view of respondent’s concession and the evidence before me, the
undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                 s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                 Nora Beth Dorsey
                                 Chief Special Master

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