Court Opinion

ID: 3203021
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-05-12 16:02:00.019131+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:45:41.952342
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 14-0856V
                                     Filed: March 15, 2016
                                         UNPUBLISHED
*********************************
ANGELA M. SMITH,                                  *
                                                  *
                         Petitioner,              *
                v.                                *
                                                  *        Attorneys’ Fees and Costs;
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                               *        Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                               *
                                                  *
                         Respondent.              *
                                                  *
****************************
Nancy R. Meyers, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, NC, for petitioner.
Jennifer Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                      DECISION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On September 16, 2014, Angela M. Smith filed a petition for compensation under
the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.,2 [the
“Vaccine Act” or “Program”]. Petitioner alleges that as the result of an Influenza [“flu”]
vaccination on November 28, 2012, she suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome [“GBS”].
Petition at ¶ 9. On August 10, 2015, a decision was issued awarding compensation to
petitioner based on the parties’ stipulation. (ECF No. 27).

      On February 22, 2016, petitioner filed a motion for attorneys’ fees and costs.
(ECF No. 34). Petitioner requests attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of
1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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.

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).
$12,500.00. Id. In compliance with General Order #9, petitioner has filed a signed
statement indicating petitioner incurred no out-of-pocket expenses. Motion for
Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Tab A (ECF No. 34).

        Respondent has filed no response to petitioner’s motion. Furthermore,
petitioner’s motion indicates the $12,500.00 requested is an agreed upon amount.
Motion for Attorneys’ Fees and Costs (ECF 34).

       The Vaccine Act permits an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
§ 15(e). Based on the reasonableness of petitioner’s request and the lack of opposition
from respondent, the undersigned GRANTS petitioner’s application for attorneys’ fees
and costs.3

      Accordingly, the undersigned awards the total of $12,500.004 as a lump
sum in the form of a check jointly payable to petitioner and petitioner’s counsel
Nancy R. Meyers.

        The clerk of the court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith.5

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                           s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Chief Special Master

3 The undersigned is granting petitioner’s motion based on the reasonableness of the overall amount
sought for attorneys’ fees and costs given the circumstances in this case. This decision should not be
interpreted as an acceptance of the reasonableness of either the hourly rate or amount of hours billed in
this case. In other cases, the undersigned may reduce either the hourly rate requested or the amount of
hours billed.

4This amount is intended to cover all legal expenses incurred in this matter. This award encompasses all
charges by the attorney against a client, “advanced costs” as well as fees for legal services rendered.
Furthermore, § 15(e)(3) prevents an attorney from charging or collecting fees (including costs) that would
be in addition to the amount awarded herein. See generally Beck v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
924 F.2d 1029 (Fed. Cir.1991).

5 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.

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