Court Opinion

ID: 4509940
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-02-24 21:01:53.407183+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:13:09.111132
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1932V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    EFREM J. JOHNSON,                                         Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: January 21, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                              Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                        Respondent.                           Administration (SIRVA)

Scott B. Taylor, Urban & Taylor, S.C., Milwaukee, WI, for petitioner.

Alexis B. Babcock, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

      On December 18, 2018, Efrem Johnson 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 he suffered a left Shoulder Injury Related to
Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered
on December 21, 2016. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

      On January 13, 2020, 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 concedes that Petitioner’s alleged injury is

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
consistent with a SIRVA as defined on the Vaccine Injury Table. Id. at 5. Specifically,
Petitioner had no history of pain, inflammation, or dysfunction of his left shoulder;
medical records document that pain occurred within 24 hours after receipt of the
vaccination; pain was limited to the shoulder in which the vaccine was administered;
and no other condition or abnormality has been identified to explain Petitioner’s
shoulder pain. Id. Respondent further agrees that Petitioner suffered the residual effects
of his condition for more than six months. Id.

       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