Court Opinion

ID: 6352804
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-06-23 13:01:41.774343+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:13:31.570459
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 21-0212V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

 DAVID C. JOHNSON,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: May 12, 2022
 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)

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

Matthew Murphy, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On January 7, 2021, David C. Johnson 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 suffered a shoulder injury related to flu
vaccination (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu) vaccine he received on September
19, 2019. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges that he continued to suffer the sequelae
of his SIRVA for more than six months. Petition at ¶3. The case was assigned to the
Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On May 11, 2022, 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 6.

1 Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
Specifically, Respondent states that “Petitioner’s alleged injury is consistent with SIRVA
of the left arm and that it meets the requirements of a Table injury claim for SIRVA
stemming from the flu vaccination on September 19, 2019. Id. Respondent further agrees
that “records show that he suffered the sequela of this injury for more than six months.”
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