Court Opinion

ID: 4358980
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-01-15 21:03:02.913226+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:34:37.476410
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 17-1859V
                                    Filed: November 21, 2018
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    JANECE DIX,

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

                        Respondent.

William E. Cochran, Jr., Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C., Memphis, TN , for
       petitioner.
Debra A. Filteau Begley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

      On December 1, 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 she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) after receiving a seasonal influenza vaccination on January 4,
2017. Petition at 1, ¶ 2. Petitioner further alleges that she received the vaccination in
the United States, suffered the residual effects of her injury for more than six months,
and that neither she nor any other party has filed a civil action or received compensation

1The 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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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).
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).
for her injury, alleged as vaccine caused. Id. at ¶¶ 2, 13-14. The case was assigned to
the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On November 21, 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 “has concluded petitioner’s alleged injury is
consistent with SIRVA, and that it was caused in fact by the flu vaccine she received on
January 4, 2017.” Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that “petitioner has met the
statutory requirements for entitlement to compensation.” 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