Court Opinion

ID: 6332571
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-04-18 21:02:04.808637+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:21.125753
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-1971V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    KEELY KNUDSEN,                                              Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: March 15, 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)

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
Petitioner.

Althea Walker Davis, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

       On December 27, 2018, Keely Knudsen 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 shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on
December 13, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit
of the Office of Special Masters.

      On August 23, 2021, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled
to compensation for her SIRVA. On March 15, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer on award
of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $55,561.04,
representing $55,000.00 for pain and suffering and $561.04 for unreimbursable out-of-

1  Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
pocket expenses. Proffer at 1. 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.

      Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $55,561.04 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

KEELY KNUDSEN,                               )
                                             )
                Petitioner,                  )      No. 18-1971V
                                             )      Chief Special Master
        v.                                   )      Brian H. Corcoran
                                             )      SPU
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                          )
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                          )
                                             )
                Respondent.                  )
                                             )

             RESPONDENT'S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

        On December 27, 2018, Keely Knudsen (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

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

-34 (“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), as amended, alleging that she suffered a shoulder injury related to

vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as the result of an influenza vaccination she received in her

right deltoid on December 13, 2017. On August 23, 2021, Chief Special Master Corcoran issued

his Findings of Fact and Ruling on Entitlement, finding petitioner entitled to compensation for

her right shoulder SIRVA injury. ECF No. 36.

I.     Items of Compensation

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

$55,561.04. The award is comprised of $55,000.00 for petitioner’s pain and suffering and

$561.04 for past unreimbursable out-of-pocket vaccine-related expenses. This represents all

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

Petitioner agrees. 1

1
 The parties have no objection to the amount of the proffered award of damages. Assuming the
Chief Special Master issues a damages decision in conformity with this proffer, the parties waive
II.    Form of the Award

       Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a lump sum payment of $55,561.04, in the form of a check made payable to petitioner. 2

Petitioner agrees.

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

                                                     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

                                                     DARRYL R. WISHARD
                                                     Assistant Director
                                                     Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                                      s/Althea Walker Davis
                                                     ALTHEA WALKER DAVIS
                                                     Senior Trial Counsel
                                                     Torts Branch, Civil Division
                                                     U.S. Department of Justice
                                                     P.O. Box 146
                                                     Benjamin Franklin Station
                                                     Washington, D.C. 20044-0146
                                                     Tel: (202) 616-0515
                                                     Althea.Davis@usdoj.gov

DATED: March 15, 2022

their right to seek review of such damages decision. However, respondent reserves his right,
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(e), to seek review of the Chief Special Master’s August 23,
2021 Findings of Fact and Ruling on Entitlement.
2
 Should petitioner die prior to the entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the
Court for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future
medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering.
                                                 2