Court Opinion

ID: 4359425
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-01-16 21:02:03.558235+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:38:56.873847
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-1930V
                                   Filed: November 15, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    BRADFORD KAUP,

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

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Lara Ann Englund, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                               DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On December 12, 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 he suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of his November 18, 2016 influenza (“flu”)
vaccination. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the
Office of Special Masters.

        On November 6, 2018, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner
entitled to compensation for SIRVA. On November 15, 2018, respondent filed a proffer

1 The undersigned intends to post this decision on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website.
This means the decision 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 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the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).
on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded
$90,718.18. Proffer at 1. In the Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees
with the proffered award. Based on the record as a whole, the undersigned finds that
petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer. Id.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, the undersigned awards
petitioner a lump sum payment of $90,718.18 in the form of a check payable to
petitioner, Bradford Kaup. This amount represents compensation for all damages
that would be available under § 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
               IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                         OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

BRADFORD KAUP,                                       )
                                                     )
                      Petitioner,                    )
                                                     )
       v.                                            ) No. 17-1930V
                                                     ) Chief Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey
SECRETARY OF                                         )
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,                           )
                                                     )
                      Respondent.                    )
                                                     )

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On November 5, 2018, respondent filed a Vaccine Rule 4(c) report concluding that

petitioner suffered an injury that is compensable under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury

Act of 1986, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§300aa-10 to -34. Accordingly, on November 6, 2018, the

Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement.

I.     Compensation for Vaccine Injury-Related Items

       Respondent proffers that, based on the evidence of record, petitioner should be awarded

$90,718.18. This amount represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner would be

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

II.    Form of the Award

       The parties recommend that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made as a

lump sum payment of $90,718.18, in the form of a check payable to petitioner. 1 Petitioner is a

competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case. This amount accounts

1
  Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, respondent would oppose any award for future
medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering, and the parties reserve the
right to move the Court for appropriate relief.
for all elements of compensation under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a) to which petitioner would be

entitled.

                                           Respectfully submitted,

                                           JOSEPH H. HUNT
                                           Assistant Attorney General

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

                                           CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                           Deputy Director
                                           Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                           GABRIELLE FIELDING
                                           Assistant Director
                                           Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                           s/ LARA A. ENGLUND
                                           LARA A. ENGLUND
                                           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) 307-3013
                                           E-mail: lara.a.englund@usdoj.gov

Dated: November 13, 2018

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