Court Opinion

ID: 4027384
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-08-23 12:01:58.193373+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:35.542392
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 16-0534V
                                      Filed: July 1, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED

****************************
TRACY BUTLER,                            *
                                         *
                     Petitioner,         *       Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
v.                                       *       Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                         *       Injury Related to Vaccine Administration
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                      *       (“SIRVA”); Special Processing Unit
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                      *       (“SPU”)
                                         *
                     Respondent.         *
                                         *
****************************
Jeffrey S. Pop, Attorney at Law, Beverly Hills, CA, for petitioner.
Lisa Ann Watts, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On April 29, 2016, Tracy Butler (“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 right shoulder injury
related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at ¶¶ 1-30. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On July 1, 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 experienced SIRVA of the right upper
extremity within 48 hours of flu vaccine administration and that there are no other
causes for petitioner’s SIRVA identified Id. at 3-4. Respondent further agrees that the
statutory six month sequela requirement has been satisfied, and thus, petitioner has
satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Act. 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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
                                                       1
     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