Court Opinion

ID: 5186465
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-01-06 14:01:41.968105+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:26:44.562845
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-1090V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    AMY BANDOLIK,                                           Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: November 30, 2021
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                       Respondent.                          Administration (SIRVA)

Jimmy A. Zgheib, Zgheib Sayad, P.C., White Plains, NY, for Petitioner.

Julia Marter Collison, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On August 28, 2020, Amy Bandolik 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 left shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (SIRVA), resulting from the adverse effects of an influenza (flu) vaccination
received on October 28, 2018. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges that she received
the vaccination in the United States, her symptoms persisted for more than six months,
and neither Petitioner, nor any other party, has ever filed any action for Petitioner’s
vaccine-related injury. Petition at 1, 4. The case was assigned to the Special Processing
Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

1 Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 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, I agree that
the identified material fits within this definition, I 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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
        On November 30, 2021, 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 determined that Petitioner “has satisfied the criteria
set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications and Aids to
Interpretation (“QAI”) for a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”):
[P]etitioner had no history of pain, inflammation or dysfunction in her right shoulder; her
pain and reduced range of motion occurred within 48 hours of receipt of an intramuscular
vaccination; her symptoms were limited to the shoulder in which the vaccine was
administered; and no other condition or abnormality was identified to explain her
symptoms . . . . In addition, given the medical records outlined above, the statutory six-
month sequela requirement has been satisfied.” Id. at 4 (citations omitted).

       In view of Respondent’s position and the evidence of record, I find that
Petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                   s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                   Brian H. Corcoran
                                   Chief Special Master

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