Court Opinion

ID: 4205831
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-09-22 20:04:30.726174+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:40:36.670187
License: Public Domain

Case 1:16-vv-01342-UNJ Document 13 Filed 03/02/17 Page 1 of 2

        In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 16-1342V
                                      Filed: March 2, 2017
                                         UNPUBLISHED

****************************
BRITTANY N. RIDGEWAY,                   *
                                        *
                   Petitioner,          *     Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
v.                                      *     Influenza (“Flu”); Shoulder Injury
                                        *     Related to Vaccine Administration
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                     *     (“SIRVA”);
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                     *     Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
                                        *
                   Respondent.          *
                                        *
****************************
Douglas Lee Burdette, Burkett & Burdette, Seattle, WA, for petitioner.
Ann Martin, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

      On October 14, 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 Related to
Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received
on December 11, 2015. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On February 28, 2017, respondent filed his Rule 4(c) report in which he
concedes that petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule
4(c) Report at 1. Specifically, respondent petitioner’s right shoulder injury is consistent
with a SIRVA, that it was caused in fact by the flu vaccine she received on December
11, 2015, and that compensation is appropriate. Id. at 3. Respondent further agrees
that petitioner has met the statutory requirements for entitlement to compensation. Id.

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
       Case 1:16-vv-01342-UNJ Document 13 Filed 03/02/17 Page 2 of 2

     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