Court Opinion

ID: 6328276
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-03-30 17:02:11.214021+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:37.829001
License: Public Domain

Corrected

    In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-1663V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    ANNE JACQUELINE KITE,                                       Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: February 22, 2022
    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)

Elaine Whitfield Sharp, Whitfield, Sharp & Sharp, Marblehead, MA, for Petitioner.

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

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

      On October 29, 2018, Anne Jacqueline Kite 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 that was administered
to her on December 3, 2016. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

      On February 3, 2020, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled
to compensation for SIRVA. On February 18, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer on award
of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $150,000.00 in actual
and projected pain and suffering. Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented

1  Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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.

2National 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).
that Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Id. at 2. 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 $150,000.00 (for actual and projected pain and suffering) in the
form of a check payable to Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all
damages that would be available under Section 15(a).

       The Clerk of 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
                    THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                            OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

 ANNE JACQUELINE KITE,

                  Petitioner,                           No. 18-1663V
                                                        Chief Special Master Corcoran
 v.

 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                  Respondent.

                                PROFFER ON AWARD OF DAMAGES

          On October 29, 2018, Anne Jacqueline Kite (“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 alleges that petitioner

received an influenza (“flu”) vaccine on December 3, 2016, and that she subsequently suffered a

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at 1. Respondent

concluded that petitioner’s alleged injury satisfied the criteria of the Vaccine Injury Table, and

therefore conceded petitioner’s entitlement to compensation in his Rule 4(c) Report filed on

January 30, 2020. ECF No. 30. Based on Respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report the Court found

petitioner entitled to compensation on February 3, 2020. ECF No. 31.

I.    Item of Compensation

          Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $150,000.00 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
II.    Form of the Award

       Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a lump sum payment of $150,000.00 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,

                                             BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                             Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

                                             C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO
                                             Acting Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                             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
                           Senior 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
                           Jennifer.L.Reynaud@usdoj.gov

DATED: February 18, 2022

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