Court Opinion

ID: 3200987
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-05-05 20:06:07.242695+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:28:14.878284
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 15-1464V
                                    Filed: February 3, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
JANE TOUGAS,                              *
                                          *
                     Petitioner,          *      Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
                                          *      Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                          *      Injury Related to Vaccine Administration
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                       *      (“SIRVA”); Adhesive Capsulitis;
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                       *      Rotator Cuff Impingement Syndrome;
                                          *      Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
                     Respondent.          *
                                          *
****************************
Paul R. Brazil, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Linda Sara Renzi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On December 3, 2015, Jane Tougas 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 left shoulder injury as a result of
an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered to her on November 19, 2014. Petition at 1.
The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On February 3, 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 states that “petitioner’s alleged injury is
consistent with a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) and finds
the case compensable Id. at 1.

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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