Court Opinion

ID: 4322523
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-10-18 23:02:15.039512+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:46:12.625742
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 17-1268V
                                      Filed: July 31, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    SARA D’ANGELO,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    v.                                                       Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                             Injury Related to Vaccine
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Administration (SIRVA)
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Robert Paul Coleman, III, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                               DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On September 15, 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”) as a result of her October 28, 2016 influenza vaccination.
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

      On July 31, 2018, respondent filed a combined Rule 4 report and proffer on
award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded $55,324.98,
representing $55,000.00 for petitioner’s actual and projected pain and suffering and
$324.98 for petitioner’s unreimbursable medical expenses. Proffer at 3-4. In the

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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

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).
Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees with the proffered award. On
July 31, 2018, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner entitled to
compensation for SIRVA. Based on the record as a whole, the undersigned finds that
petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the Proffer, the undersigned awards petitioner
a lump sum payment of $55,324.98 (representing $55,000.00 in compensation for
actual and projected pain and suffering and $324.98 in compensation for
unreimbursable medical expenses) in the form of a check payable to petitioner,
Sara D’Angelo. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be
available under § 300aa-15(a).

       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