Court Opinion

ID: 6323116
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-03-14 21:01:22.321395+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:21:25.252734
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 20-296V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    MAUREEN MULVENA,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                          Petitioner,                           Filed: February 9, 2022
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                                Injury Related to Vaccine
                         Respondent.                            Administration (SIRVA)

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
Petitioner.

Mary Eileen Holmes, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

       On March 16, 2020, Maureen Mulvena 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 Table injury – Shoulder Injury
Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”) – as a result of her November 14, 2018
influneza (“flu”) vaccination. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On November 3, 2021, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner
entitled to compensation for SIRVA. On February 8, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer on
award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $115,842.84
(representing an award of $115,500.00 in pain and suffering and $342.84 in past

1
   Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation f or the action in this case, I am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 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, I agree that the identified material fits within this definition, I 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 section ref erences to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
unreimbursable expenses). Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that
Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that
Petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $115,842.84 (representing an award of $115,500.00 in pain and
suffering and $342.84 in past unreimbursable expenses) in the form of a check
payable to Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would
be available under Section 15(a).

       The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision. 3

       IT IS SO ORDERED.

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

3
  Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint f iling of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.

                                                     2
               IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                         OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

                                                     )
 MAUREEN MULVENA,                                    )
                                                     )
                Petitioner,                          )
                                                     )   No. 20-296V
 v.                                                  )   Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                     )   ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN                       )
 SERVICES,                                           )
                                                     )
                Respondent.                          )
                                                     )

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On March 16, 2020, Maureen Mulvena (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34

(“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), alleging that she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine

Administration (“SIRVA”), as defined in the Vaccine Injury Table, following administration of

an influenza vaccine she received on November 14, 2018. Petition at 1-5. On October 29, 2021,

the Secretary of Health and Human Services (“respondent”) filed a Rule 4(c) Report indicating

that this case is appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act for a SIRVA Table

injury, and on November 3, 2021, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement

finding petitioner entitled to compensation. ECF No. 28; ECF No. 30.

I.     Items of Compensation

       A.     Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $115,500.00 in pain and suffering.

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.
       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that she incurred past unreimbursable

expenses related to her vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be

awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $342.84. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-

15(a)(1)(B). Petitioner agrees.

       These amounts represent all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled

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

II.    Form of the Award

       Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a

lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision and

the Court’s judgment award the following 1: a lump sum payment of $115,842.84, in the form of

a check payable to petitioner.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Maureen Mulvena:                      $115,842.84.

                                              Respectfully submitted,

                                              BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                              Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                              HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                              Deputy Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

1 Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the Court
for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future lost earnings
and future pain and suffering.
                                                 2
                          TRACI R. PATTON
                          Assistant Director
                          Torts Branch, Civil Division

                          /s/Mary E. Holmes
                          MARY E. HOLMES
                          Trial Attorney
                          Torts Branch, Civil Division
                          U. S. Department of Justice
                          P.O. Box l46, Benjamin Franklin Station
                          Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                          Tel: (202) 616-5022
                          Mary.E.Holmes@usdoj.gov

DATED: February 8, 2022

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