Court Opinion

ID: 4686532
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-05-13 16:02:27.574497+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:04:34.246338
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 19-1779V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    KATHERINE BELTZ,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: April 8, 2021
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Tetanus Diphtheria acellular
                                                                Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine; Shoulder
                         Respondent.                            Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                                Administration (SIRVA)

John Robert Howie, Howie Law, PC, Dallas, TX, for Petitioner.

Amanda Pasciuto, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

        On November 11, 2019, Katherine Beltz 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 received a tetanus/diphtheria/acellular
pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine on December 21, 2016, and that she subsequently suffered a
left shoulder injury related to the vaccine administration (“SIRVA”), a Table injury. Petition
at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special
Masters.

      On April 8, 2021, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for SIRVA. On April 5, 2021, Respondent filed a combined Rule 4(c) report
and proffer on award of compensation (“Rule 4/Proffer”) stating that Petitioner is entitled
to compensation and should be awarded $47,500.00. Rule 4/Proffer at 7. In the Rule

1
   Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 decision 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).
4/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 Rule 4/Proffer.

      Pursuant to the terms stated in the Rule 4/Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump sum
payment of $47,500.00, 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