Court Opinion

ID: 4560757
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-08-27 16:01:47.853892+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:21:00.829383
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-1533V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    CONNIE RAINBOLT,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: July 27, 2020
    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.

Richard Gage, Richard Gage, P.C., Cheyenne, WY, for petitioner.

Linda Sara Renzi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On October 16, 2017, Connie Rainbolt 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 as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination
administered on November 26, 2014, she suffered Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”).
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

       On July 23, 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 has concluded that Petitioenr suffered the Table injury of

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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).
GBS following a flu vaccine within the Table time period Id. at 4. Respondent further
agrees that Petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the
Vaccine Act. 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