Court Opinion

ID: 4239525
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-01-26 13:04:02.309405+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:43:27.784687
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 16-0503V
                                      Filed: July 18, 2017
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    JANIS POOL,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint
                        Petitioner,                          Stipulation on Damages; Tetanus
    v.                                                       Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine; Left
                                                             Shoulder, Hand, and Neck Injuries
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

William Patrick Ronan, III, Ronan Law Firm, Overland Park, KS for petitioner.
Traci R. Patton, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                              DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On April 25, 2016, Janis Pool (“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 left arm and hand pain, numbness,
and weakness, as well as a decreased range of motion in her neck as a result of a
tetanus diphtheria (“Td”) vaccine she received on November 11, 2014. Petition at 1, 7;
Stipulation, filed July 18, 2017, at ¶ 2, 4. Petitioner further alleges that she experienced
the residual effects of her condition for more than six months. Petition at 7; Stipulation
at ¶ 4. “Respondent denies that the Td immunization is the cause of petitioner’s alleged
shoulder, arm, and neck injuries, or the cause of any other injury or condition.”
Stipulation at ¶ 6.

       Nevertheless, on July 18, 2017, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation,
stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned

1
  Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding
damages, on the terms set forth therein.

     Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation, the undersigned
awards the following compensation:

        A lump sum of $35,000.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner.
        Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of
        damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Id.

       The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation.
In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of
the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                          s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          Chief Special Master

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

                                                      2