Court Opinion

ID: 8208077
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-21 17:01:55.161695+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:41:29.421103
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 21-0847V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    OSCAR GARNER,                                               Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: August 18, 2022
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                                Injury Related to Vaccine
                         Respondent.                            Administration (SIRVA)

Jerome A. Konkel, Samster, Konkel & Safran, S.C., Milwaukee, WI, for Petitioner.

Tyler King, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

       On February 3, 2021, Oscar Garner 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 received an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on
November 6, 2018, and thereafter suffered from a left shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing
Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On August 17, 2022, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled
to compensation for SIRVA. On August 17, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded a total of $45,000.00.
Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees with the
proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner is entitled to an
award as stated in the Proffer.
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   Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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.
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).
       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $45,000.00, in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This
amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under Section
15(a).

       The Clerk of 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

    OSCAR GARNER,

                 Petitioner,

    v.                                                 No. 21-847V
                                                       Chief Special Master Corcoran
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                            ECF
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                 Respondent.

                RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION1

I.       Procedural History

         On February 3, 2021, Oscar Garner (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

(“petition”) under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to

-34, as amended. He alleges that he sustained a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine

Administration (“SIRVA”), as defined in the Vaccine Injury Table, within the Table time

period following administration of an Influenza vaccine he received on November 6, 2018. See

Petition. On August 16, 2022, respondent filed his Vaccine Rule 4(c) report, indicating that

this case is appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act for a SIRVA Table injury.

ECF No. 26. On August 17, 2022, the Chief Special Master issued a ruling on entitlement,

finding that petitioner was entitled to compensation for a SIRVA Table injury. ECF No. 27.

1
 This Proffer does not include attorneys’ fees and costs, which the parties intend to address
after the Damages Decision is issued.
II.    Items of Compensation

       Based upon the evidence of record, respondent proffers that petitioner should be

awarded a lump sum of $45,000.00, for all damages. This amount represents all elements of

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

III.   Form of the Award

       Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through

a lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision

and the Court’s judgment award the following2: a lump sum payment of $45,000.00, in the

form of a check payable to petitioner.

IV.    Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Oscar Garner: $45,000.00

                                                    Respectfully submitted,

                                                    BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                                    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

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

                                                    HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                                    Deputy Director
                                                    Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                                    TRACI R. PATTON
                                                    Assistant Director
                                                    Torts Branch, Civil Division

2
 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.
                         s/ Tyler C. King
                         TYLER C. KING
                         Trial Attorney
                         Torts Branch, Civil Division
                         U.S. Department of Justice
                         P.O. Box 146
                         Benjamin Franklin Station
                         Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                         Tel: (202) 305-0730
                         Tyler.King@usdoj.gov
Dated: August 17, 2022