Court Opinion

ID: 4286069
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-06-19 20:03:49.710942+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:36:25.189098
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-0304V
                                      Filed: March 6, 2018
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    LISA SORROW,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    v.                                                       Tetanus Diphtheria acellular
                                                             Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine; Shoulder
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Injury Related to Vaccine
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                          Administration (SIRVA)

                       Respondent.

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Justine Elizabeth Walters, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                               DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On March 3, 2017, Lisa Sorrow (“petitioner”) 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 left shoulder injury as a
result of receiving a Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine on March
24, 2016. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the
Office of Special Masters.

        On November 3, 2017, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner
entitled to compensation for her shoulder injury. On March 5, 2018, respondent filed a
proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded
$75,079.14. Proffer at 1. In the Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the
undersigned intends 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). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits
within this definition, the undersigned 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).
with the proffered award. Based on the record as a whole, the undersigned finds that
petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, the undersigned awards
petitioner a lump sum payment of $75,079.14 in the form of a check payable to
petitioner, Lisa Sorrow. This amount represents compensation for all damages that
would be available under § 300aa-15(a).

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

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                          s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          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
____________________________________
                                     )
LISA SORROW,                         )
                                     )
            Petitioner,              )
                                    )
v.                                  )   No. 17-304V
                                    )   Chief Special Master Dorsey
                                    )   ECF
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND             )   SPU
HUMAN SERVICES,                     )
                                    )
            Respondent.             )
____________________________________)

             RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On March 3, 2017, petitioner, Lisa Sorrow, filed a petition for compensation under the

National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (“Vaccine Act”), alleging

that she developed a left shoulder injury as a result of receiving a Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular

pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine on March 24, 2016. On November 1, 2017, respondent filed her Rule

4(c) Report stating that petitioner’s left shoulder injury is consistent with a shoulder injury

related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) and conceding that her SIRVA is compensable

under the Vaccine Act. Accordingly, on November 3, 2017, Chief Special Master Dorsey issued

a Ruling on Entitlement finding that petitioner is entitled to compensation for her SIRVA.

I.     Items of Compensation

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

$75,079.14, which represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled under

42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). 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 medical
expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering.
II.    Form of the Award

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

through a lump sum payment of $75,079.14 in the form of a check payable to petitioner.

Petitioner agrees.

                                           Respectfully submitted,

                                           CHAD A. READLER
                                           Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                           CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                           Deputy Director
                                           Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                           ALEXIS B. BABCOCK
                                           Assistant Director
                                           Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                            s/ Justine Walters__________
                                           JUSTINE WALTERS
                                           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) 307-6393

DATE: March 5, 2018

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