Court Opinion

ID: 7805432
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-08-31 21:01:07.357763+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:00.607165
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 19-1970V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    MEGAN SWANZER,                                             Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,
    v.                                                         Filed: July 25, 2022

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                    Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                            Damages Decision based on Proffer;
                                                               Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                        Respondent.                            Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                               Administration (SIRVA)

Bobbie L. Flynt, Crandall & Pera Law, LLC, Chagrin Falls, OH, for Petitioner.

Jennifer Leigh Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                       DECISION ON DAMAGES1

       On December 30, 2019, Megan Swanzer 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 as a result of the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular
pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine she received on March 4, 2018, she suffered a shoulder injury
related to vaccination (“SIRVA”) as defined on the Vaccine Injury Table (the “Table”).
Petition (ECF No. 1) at Preamble. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit
of the Office of Special Masters.

1
  Because this unpublished opinion contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am
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). This means the opinion 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, I agree that the identified material fits within this definition, I 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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
         On February 3, 2022, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled
to compensation for SIRVA. On July 22, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation. Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner
agrees with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner
is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $51,400.91 (representing $50,000 for pain and suffering, and
$1,400.91 for past unreimbursable expenses) in the form of a check payable to
Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available
under Section 15(a).

       The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

       IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                                 s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                                                 Brian H. Corcoran
                                                                 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
               IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                         OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

 MEGAN SWANZER,

                Petitioner,                           No. 19-1970V
 v.                                                   Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                      ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                Respondent.

                              PROFFER ON AWARD OF DAMAGES

       On December 30, 2019, Megan Swanzer (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34

(“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), as amended. Petitioner alleges that her receipt of a tetanus-diphtheria-

acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine on March 4, 2018, resulted in a Shoulder Injury Related to

Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”) (a Table injury). Petition at 1. On February 3, 2022, Chief

Special Master Corcoran issued a Ruling on Entitlement, finding that petitioner was entitled to

vaccine compensation for her SIRVA. See Ruling on Entitlement (ECF #46).

I.    Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $50,000.00 in actual and projected

pain and suffering. This amount reflects that any award for projected pain and suffering has

been reduced to net present value. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.

       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that she incurred past unreimbursable

expenses related to her vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be

                                                1
awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $1,400.91. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-

15(a)(1)(B). Petitioner agrees.

II.    Form of the Award

       Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a

lump sum payment of $51,400.91, in the form of a check made payable to petitioner. 1 This

lump sum payment represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner would be entitled

under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                             BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                             Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

                                             C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO
                                             Acting Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                             Deputy Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             DARRYL R. WISHARD
                                             Assistant Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                              s/Jennifer L. Reynaud
                                             JENNIFER L. REYNAUD
                                             Senior Trial Attorney
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division
                                             U.S. Department of Justice
                                             P.O. Box 146
                                             Benjamin Franklin Station
                                             Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                                             Tel: (202) 305-1586
Date: July 22, 2022                          Jennifer.L.Reynaud@usdoj.gov

1
 Should petitioner die prior to the entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the
Court for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future
medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering.
                                                 2