Court Opinion

ID: 4322514
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-10-18 23:02:08.948646+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:45:41.419456
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 17-1208V
                                     Filed: August 6, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    MICHAEL NAPOLITANO,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    v.                                                       Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                             Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

Ann Mayhew Golksi, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for petitioner.
Jennifer Leigh Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
       On September 7, 2017, 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 he suffered Guillain-Barré Syndrome (“GBS”) as
a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine he received on September 22, 2016. Petition at 1.
The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.
       On August 3, 2018, 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: “Medical personnel at the Division of Injury
Compensation Programs, Department of Health and Human Services (“DICP”), have
reviewed the petition and medical records filed in the case. It is respondent’s s position

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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

2National 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).
that petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and
the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”).” Id. at 4 (citing 42 C.F.R. §§
100.3(a)(XIV)(D), 100.3(c)(15)).

     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