Court Opinion

ID: 4702345
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-07-09 13:03:39.659462+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:06:24.139448
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 19-2003V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    DIANE D’AMICO,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: June 8, 2021
    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)

Jeffrey S. Pop, Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates, Beverly Hills, CA, for petitioner.

Ryan Daniel Pyles, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On December 30, 2019, Diane D’Amico 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 as a result of a flu vaccine administered on September 28, 2018. Petition
at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special
Masters.

       On June 8, 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.
Specifically, Respondent agrees that petitioner “had no history of pain, inflammation or
dysfunction of the affected shoulder prior to intramuscular vaccine administration that

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
would explain the alleged signs, symptoms, examination findings, and/or diagnostic
studies occurring after vaccine injection; she more likely than not suffered the onset of
pain within forty-eight hours of vaccine administration; her pain and reduced range of
motion were limited to the shoulder in which the intramuscular vaccine was administered;
and there is no other condition or abnormality that would explain petitioner’s symptoms.”
Id. at 3. Respondent further agrees that “the records show that the case was timely filed,
that the vaccine was received in the United States, and that petitioner satisfies the
statutory severity requirement by suffering the residual effects or complications of her
injury for more than six months after vaccine administration.” 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