Court Opinion

ID: 4456202
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-11-15 17:02:59.465757+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:45:22.392379
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-0936V
                                      Filed: August 23, 2019
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    RENEE SMITH,

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

                        Respondent.

Kristina E. Grigorian, Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates, Beverly Hills, CA, for petitioner.
Daniel Anthony Principato, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On June 28, 2018, 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 an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on
October 12, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit
of the Office of Special Masters.

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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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).
        On August 22, 2019, 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 determined that “petitioner’s medical course is
consistent with SIRVA as defined in the Vaccine Injury Table.” Id. at 4. Respondent
further agrees that “petitioner had no recent history of pain, inflammation, or dysfunction
of her left shoulder, pain occurred within 48 hours after receipt of an intramuscular
vaccination, pain was limited to the shoulder where the vaccine was administered, and
no other condition or abnormality . . . has been identified to explain petitioner’s shoulder
pain”. Id. Respondent also found that petitioner suffered the residual effects of her
condition for greater than six months.

     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

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