Court Opinion

ID: 6348192
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-06-09 13:00:51.441259+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:01:38.863475
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 20-2069V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    LORI ROULETTE,                                             Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,
    v.                                                         Filed: May 9, 2022

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                    Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                            Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
                                                               Table Injury; Influenza (Flu);
                        Respondent.                            Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                               Administration (SIRVA).

Jeffrey S. Pop, Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates, Beverly Hills, CA, for Petitioner.

Terrence Kevin Mangan, Jr., U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
Respondent.

                                     RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On December 30, 2020, Lori Roulette 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 alleged that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of the influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on
October 23, 2019. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of
the Office of Special Masters.

      On May 6, 2022, Respondent filed a combined Rule 4(c) Report and Proffer in
which he concedes that Petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Rule 4(c)
Report and Proffer. Specifically, Petitioner had no apparent history of pain, inflammation,

1
  Because this unpublished opinion contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 opinion 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).
or dysfunction of the affected shoulder prior to intramuscular vaccine administration that
would explain the alleged signs, symptoms, examination findings, and/or diagnostic
studies occurring after vaccine administration; she more likely than not suffered the onset
of pain within 48 hours of vaccine administration; her pain and reduced range of motion
were limited to the shoulder in which the intramuscular vaccine was administered; and
there is no other condition or abnormality present that would explain Petitioner’s
symptoms. Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that Petitioner has satisfied the Act’s other
statutory and jurisdictional requirements. Id. at 4-5.

       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