Court Opinion

ID: 4281997
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-06-06 20:02:18.254087+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:34:55.594913
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 15-1159V
                                    Filed: February 15, 2017
                                         UNPUBLISHED

****************************
LISA STUFFLE,                         *
                                      *
                   Petitioner,        *       Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
v.                                    *       Influenza (“Flu”); Shoulder Injury
                                      *       Related to Vaccine Administration
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                   *       (“SIRVA”);
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                   *       Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
                                      *
                   Respondent.        *
                                      *
****************************
Ronald Homer, Conway, Homer, P.C., Boston, MA, for petitioner.
Jennifer Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

      On October 9, 2015, 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
October 15, 2013, and subsequently suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On February 14, 2017, 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 agrees that petitioner’s claim satisfies the
requirements set forth in Althen v. HHS, 418 F.3d 1274, 1278 (Fed. Cir. 2005), and that
her alleged injury was caused-in-fact by a vaccination. Id. at 4. Respondent further

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
agrees that petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the
Vaccine Act. Id.

     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