Court Opinion

ID: 4239261
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-01-25 17:04:14.596642+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:16:26.069488
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-89V
                                      Filed: July 20, 2017
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    JANICE KILPATRICK,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    v.                                                       Causation-In-Fact; Pneumococcal
                                                             Conjugate Vaccine; Shoulder Injury
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Related to Vaccine Administration
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                          (SIRVA)

                       Respondent.

Amber Diane Wilson, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for petitioner.
Claudia Barnes Gangi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
       On January 23, 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 she suffered a right shoulder injury following
receipt of a Prevnar 13 pneumococcal vaccine on November 12, 2015. Petition at 3.
The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On July 20, 2017, 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 the alleged injury is consistent with a
shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”).” Id. at 3. Respondent

1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the
undersigned intends 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). 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.

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).
further agrees that no other cause for petitioner’s injury has been identified, that she
suffered her condition for more than six months and that she has satisfied all legal
prerequisites for compensation under the Vaccine Act. Id.
     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