Court Opinion

ID: 4162140
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-04-21 12:05:50.114497+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:25:46.266019
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 16-978V
                                   Filed: December 14, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
KATHLEEN A. SEKO,                     *
                                      *
                   Petitioner,        *       Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
v.                                    *       Influenza;
                                      *       Shoulder Injury; SIRVA;
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                   *       Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                   *
                                      *
                   Respondent.        *
                                      *
****************************
Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Lara Ann Englund, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On August 10, 2016, 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 a shoulder injury relate to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of her October 14, 2015 influenza vaccination.
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

       On December 14, 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 “opines that petitioner’s alleged injury is
consistent with SIRVA” and “further agrees that petitioner’s SIRVA was caused-in-fact
by the influenza vaccination she received on October 14, 2015.” Id. at 4. Respondent

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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.

2National 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).
further agrees that no other cause for petitioner’s injury has been identified, that the
statutory six month sequela requirement has been met, and that petitioner has satisfied
all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Vaccine Act. Id.

     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

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