Court Opinion

ID: 5134498
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-12-13 22:01:39.646173+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:23:44.440016
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-1077V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    LINDA SCHWEDER,                                         Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: November 10, 2021
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                       Respondent.

Scott William Rooney, Nemes, Rooney, P.C., Farmington Hills, MI, for Petitioner.

Lauren Kells, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On August 27, 2020, Linda Schweder 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 Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) as
a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine received on October 8, 2018. Petition at ¶¶ 4, 25.
Petitioner further alleges that the vaccine was administered in the United States, her
condition has persisted for more than six months, and she has never filed a lawsuit or
accepted a settlement related to her injury. Petition at ¶¶ 5, 23, 24. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On November 9, 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
  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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.
2
 National 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).
1. Specifically, Respondent agrees that “petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the
Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”),
which afford petitioner a presumption of causation if the onset of GBS occurs between
three and forty-two days after a seasonal flu vaccination and there is no apparent
alternative cause.” Id. at 6.

       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

                                              2