Court Opinion

ID: 3199643
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-05-02 20:01:46.288996+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:50:25.097404
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 14-1237V
                                   Filed: December 30, 2015
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
ARLEN E. TWERDOK,                       *
                                        *
                    Petitioner,         *     Joint Stipulation on Damages;
                                        *     Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                        *     Injury Related to Vaccine
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                     *     Administration (“SIRVA”); Special
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                     *     Processing Unit (“SPU”)
                                        *
                    Respondent.         *
                                        *
****************************
Laurie C. TeWinkle, Law Offices of L.C. TeWinkle, LLC, Erie, PA, for petitioner.
Julia Wernett McInerny, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                              DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On December 29, 2014, 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 alleged that she suffered a vaccine-related injury described
as a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an
influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on January 9, 2013. Petition at ¶¶ 6, 11, 15;
Stipulation filed 12/30/2015, ¶ 4. Petitioner further alleged that she experienced the
residual effects of her injury for more than six months. Stipulation¶ 4. Respondent
denies “that petitioner’s alleged SIRVA and residual side effects were caused-in-fact by
the flu vaccine. Respondent further denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner any
other injury or her current condition. ” Stipulation, ¶ 6.

       Nevertheless, on December 30, 2015, the parties filed the attached joint
stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The

1
  Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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, Pub. L. No. 107-347, § 205, 116 Stat. 2899, 2913 (codified as amended
at 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2006)). 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).
undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court
in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

        The parties stipulated that petitioner shall receive the following compensation:

        A lump sum of $70,000.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner.
        Stipulation, ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages
        that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Id.

       The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation.
In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of
the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                          s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          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