Court Opinion

ID: 6335321
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-04-27 13:02:15.963988+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:53.720540
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-1611V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    RITA A. PARKS,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: March 25, 2022
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Tetanus Diphtheria
                                                            acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine;
                       Respondent.                          Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                            Administration (SIRVA)

Matthew Belanger, Faraci Lange, LLP, Rochester, NY, for Petitioner.

Kimberly Davey, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

      On November 18, 2020, Rita Parks 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 left shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (SIRVA) after a Tdap vaccine on February 12, 2018. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On March 25, 2022, 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 agrees that Petitioner had no history of pain, inflammation, or
dysfunction in her left shoulder; Petitioner’s pain and reduced range of motion occurred

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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
within 48 hours of receipt of an intramuscular vaccination; Petitioner’s symptoms were
limited to the shoulder in which the vaccine was administered; and no other condition or
abnormality was identified to explain her symptoms. Id. at 4-5. Respondent further agrees
that Petitioner’s injury lasted for at least six months as required by 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-
11(c)(1)(D)(i). Id. at 5.

       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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