Court Opinion

ID: 4696840
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-06-18 13:01:58.78127+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:05:42.658198
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 19-1673V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    SUSAN FITZGERALD,                                       Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: May 18, 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)

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.

Nancy Tinch, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

      On October 29, 2019, Susan Fitzgerald 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 left shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza vaccine received on October 31,
2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office
of Special Masters.

       On May 17, 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, Respondent agrees that “petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”) for
a . . . SIRVA; petitioner had no relevant history of pain, inflammation, or dysfunction in
her left shoulder; her pain and reduced range of motion occurred within 48 hours of receipt
of an intramuscular vaccination; her symptoms were limited to the shoulder in which the
vaccine was administered; and, no other condition or abnormality was identified to explain
her symptoms.” Id. at 5-6.

       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