Court Opinion

ID: 4514068
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-03-09 20:01:46.435571+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:48:06.793943
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1529V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    ANTHONY SANDERS,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: February 6, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Guillain-
                                                              Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                        Respondent.

Michael Andrew London, Douglas & London, P.C., New York, NY, for petitioner.

Claudia Barnes Gangi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

       On October 3, 2018, Anthony Sanders 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 suffers from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)
as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine that was administered on October 20, 2015.
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

        On January 21, 2020, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner
entitled to compensation for his GBS. On February 5, 2020, Respondent filed a proffer
on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded
$132,500.00, representing compensation for his past and future pain and suffering.
Proffer at 1. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees with the

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 decision 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.

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).
proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner is entitled to
an award as stated in the Proffer.

      Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $132,500.00, representing compensation for Petitioner’s actual
and projected pain and suffering in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This
amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under § 15(a).

       The clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this
decision.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                          s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                          Brian H. Corcoran
                                          Chief Special Master

3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.

                                                      2
             IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
                          OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
_________________________________________
                                          )
ANTHONY SANDERS,                          )
                                          )
                  Petitioner,             )
                                          )   No. 18-1529V
v.                                        )   Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                          )   ECF
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                   )
HUMAN SERVICES,                           )
                                          )
                  Respondent.             )
__________________________________________)

               RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

I.        Items of Compensation

          On November 18, 2019, respondent conceded that entitlement to compensation was

appropriate under the terms of the Vaccine Act. ECF No. 30. Thereafter, on January 21, 2020,

Chief Special Master Corcoran issued a Ruling on Entitlement, finding that petitioner was

entitled to vaccine compensation for his Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). ECF No. 32. Based

upon the evidence of record, respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $132,500.00,

comprised entirely of past and future pain and suffering. This amount represents all elements of

compensation to which petitioner would be entitled under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner

agrees.

    II.   Form of the Award

          The parties recommend that compensation provided to petitioner should be made through

a lump sum payment of $132,500.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner. 1 Petitioner

agrees.

1
  Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the Court
for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future pain and
suffering.
Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                             JOSEPH H. HUNT
                                             Assistant Attorney General

                                             C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO
                                             Acting Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                             Deputy Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                             Assistant Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             s/ Claudia B. Gangi
                                             CLAUDIA B. GANGI
                                             Senior Trial Attorney
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division
                                             U.S. Department of Justice
                                             P.O. Box 146
                                             Benjamin Franklin Station
                                             Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                                             Telephone: (202) 616-4138

Dated: February 5, 2020