Court Opinion

ID: 4469743
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-01-07 13:02:29.549022+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:48:06.521437
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1253V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    JULIE SCHWINDT,                                           Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: December 3, 2019
    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)

Summer Pope Abel, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.

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

                                DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

       On August 20, 2018, Julie Schwindt 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 administered on
September 27, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing
Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On August 28, 2019, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner
entitled to compensation for a SIRVA. On November 27, 2019, Respondent filed a
proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded
$121,319.15 (comprised of $120,000.00 for pain and suffering and $1,319.15 for

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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).
unreimbursable expenses). Proffer at 1-2. 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 $121,319.15 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. 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
                  IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                            OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

 JULIE SCHWINDT,

                  Petitioner,                           No. 18-1253V
 v.                                                     Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                        ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                  Respondent.

                                PROFFER ON AWARD OF DAMAGES

          On August 20, 2018, Julie Schwindt (“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. The Petition alleged that petitioner suffered a

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”) following her receipt of an

influenza vaccination on September 27, 2017. Respondent conceded petitioner’s entitlement to

compensation in his Rule 4(c) Report filed on August 27, 2019. Based on Respondent’s Rule

4(c) Report the Chief Special Master found petitioner entitled to compensation.

I.    Items of Compensation

          A.     Pain and Suffering

          Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $120,000.00 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 her expenditure of past unreimbursable

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

awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $1,319.15. Petitioner agrees.

II.      Form of the Award

         Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a lump sum payment of $121,319.15, 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,

                                               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 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
Date: November 22, 2019

                            3