Court Opinion

ID: 4553534
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-08-06 13:01:38.922939+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:25:48.664248
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 19-0576V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    JOHN ROGERS,                                              Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: July 2, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Table Injury; Tetanus Diphtheria
                                                              acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine;
                        Respondent.                           Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                              Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                              Administration (SIRVA)

Bridget Candace McCullough, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.

Colleen Clemons Hartley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                     RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On April 17, 2019, John Rogers 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 left shoulder injury related to
vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) after receiving tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis
(“Tdap”) and influenza (“flu”) vaccines on August 21, 2017. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 12.
Petitioner further alleges that he received the vaccination in the United States, that he
suffered the residual effects of his injury for more than six months, and that neither he
nor any other party has brought a civil action or received an award or settlement for his

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
injury. Id. at ¶¶ 2, 12-13. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the
Office of Special Masters.

        On July 1, 2020, 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, Respondent “has determined that petitioner’s medical course is consistent
with a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as defined by the
Vaccine Injury Table.” Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that “based on the record as
it now stands, petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the
Act.” 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

                                            2