Court Opinion

ID: 3179822
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-02-24 13:12:14.879057+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:36:51.146179
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                             OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 14-1052V
                                     Filed: February 2, 2016

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *                               UNPUBLISHED
JULIE HALLQUIST,              *
                              *                               Special Master Gowen
           Petitioner,        *
                              *                               Joint Stipulation on Damages;
v.                            *                               Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine;
                              *                               Transverse Myelitis.
SECRETARY OF HEALTH           *
AND HUMAN SERVICES,           *
                              *
           Respondent.        *
                              *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Danielle A. Strait, Maglio, Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for petitioner.
Adriana R. Teitel, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                           DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

        On October 28, 2014, Julie Hallquist (“petitioner”) filed a petition pursuant to the National
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.2 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2012). Petitioner alleged
that as a result of receiving an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on October 9, 2011, she suffered
Transverse Myelitis (“TM”). Stipulation ¶ 2, 4, filed Feb. 1, 2016. Further, petitioner alleged that
she experienced residual effects of her injury for more than six months. Id. at ¶ 4.

       On February 1, 2016, the parties filed a stipulation in which they state that a decision should

1
  Because this decision contains a reasoned explanation for the undersigned’s action in this case,
the undersigned intends to post this ruling on the website of the United States Court of Federal
Claims, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal
Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). As provided by Vaccine Rule
18(b), each party has 14 days within which to request redaction “of any information furnished by
that party: (1) that is a trade secret or commercial or financial in substance and is privileged or
confidential; or (2) that includes medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b).
2
  The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National
Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755, codified as amended,
42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2012) (Vaccine Act or the Act). All citations in this decision to
individual sections of the Vaccine Act are to 42 U.S.C.A. § 300aa.

                                                 1
be entered awarding compensation. Respondent denies that petitioner’s TM and residual effects
were caused-in-fact by the flu vaccine. Id. at ¶ 6. Respondent further denies that the flu vaccine
caused petitioner any other injury or her current condition. Id. Nevertheless, the parties agree to
the joint stipulation, attached hereto as Appendix A. The 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 stipulate that petitioner shall receive the following compensation:

       A lump sum of $245,750.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner, Julie
       Hallquist. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be
       available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a).

       Id. at ¶ 8.

       The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation.
Accordingly, an award should be made consistent with the stipulation.

         The clerk of the court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of
the parties’ stipulation.3

       IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                             s/ Thomas L. Gowen
                                             Thomas L. Gowen
                                             Special Master

3
 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment is expedited by the parties’ joint filing of
notice renouncing the right to seek review.

                                                2