Court Opinion

ID: 4406162
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-06-12 20:02:12.472143+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:52:39.061324
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-0680V
                                       Filed: April 5, 2019
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    CECELIA KELLER,

                         Petitioner,                          Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    v.                                                        Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
                                                              Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH                                       Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
    AND HUMAN SERVICES,                                       Administration (SIRVA)

                        Respondent.

John Caldwell, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Sarasota, FL, for petitioner.
Ashley Monique Simpson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On May 14, 2018, Cecelia Keller (“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 received an influenza (“flu”)
vaccine on November 14, 2016, and thereafter suffered a shoulder injury related to
vaccine administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at 1-3. The case was assigned to the
Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

1
  The undersigned intends to post this ruling on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website. This
means the ruling will be available to anyone with access to the internet. 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. Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this
case, undersigned is required 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).
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).
        On April 4, 2019, 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 states that petitioner’s injury is “consistent with SIRVA; that a
preponderance of evidence establishes that her SIRVA was caused-in-fact by the flu
vaccination she received on November 14, 2016; and that no other causes for
petitioner’s SIRVA were identified. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-13(a)(1)(B).” Id. at 4.
Respondent further agrees that “the statutory six-month sequela requirement has been
satisfied.” Id.

     In view of respondent’s position and the evidence of record, the
undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                   s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                   Nora Beth Dorsey
                                   Chief Special Master