Court Opinion

ID: 4126586
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-02-16 13:02:05.485563+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:30:56.001124
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 16-0782V
                                    Filed: October 31, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
IRENE DENISTON,                           *
                                          *
                     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.          *
                                          *
****************************
Paul R. Brazil, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Alexis B. Babcock, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On June 30, 2016, Irene Deniston (“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 right shoulder injuries
that were caused-in-fact by an influenza (“flu”) vaccine on October 21, 2014. Petition at
1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special
Masters.

       On October 31, 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 states that “petitioner’s alleged injury is
consistent with shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (‘SIRVA’), and that was
caused in fact by the flu vaccine she received on October 21, 2014. Id. at 5-6.
Respondent further agrees that no other causes for petitioner’s SIRVA were identified

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
and the records show that petitioner suffered the sequela of her injury for more than six
months. Id. at 6.

     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

                                            2