Court Opinion

ID: 5123635
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-11-05 13:01:51.095271+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:22:35.191127
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-0722V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    MARTHA KLUG,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: October 5, 2021
    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)

Amy A. Senerth, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for Petitioner.

Alexa Roggenkamp, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

        On June 15, 2020, Martha Klug 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 related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”), which meets the definition of a Table SIRVA, after receiving the
influenza vaccine on November 13, 2018. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 9. Petitioner further alleges
that she received the vaccine in the United States, that she suffered the residual effects
of his SIRVA for more than six months, and that neither she nor any other party has filed
a civil action or received compensation for her injury. Id. at ¶¶ 2, 9-11. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
       On October 4, 2021, 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
1. Specifically, Respondent has “concluded that [P]etitioner suffered a Table SIRVA, as
defined by the Vaccine Injury Table.” Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that “based on
the current record, [P]etitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under
the Act.” Id. at 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