Court Opinion

ID: 4448981
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-10-22 20:02:18.124931+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:45:33.565361
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1132V
                                     Filed: August 20, 2019
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    VIOLET J. BARINO,

                        Petitioner,
    v.                                                       Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                                                             Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                          Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                             Administration (SIRVA)
                       Respondent.

William Patrick Hatfield, Hatfield Temple, LLC, Florence, SC, for petitioner.
Ida Nassar, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                               DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On August 2, 2018, 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 shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of a February 3, 2017 pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the
Office of Special Masters.

      On July 23, 2019, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner entitled to
compensation for her SIRVA. On August 20, 2019, respondent filed a proffer on award
of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded $92,500.00. Proffer

1 The undersigned intends to post this decision on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website.
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, the
undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned will redact such
material from public access. Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the
action in this case, undersigned is 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).

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).
at 1. In the Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees with the proffered
award. Id. 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 $92,500.00 in the form of a check payable to
petitioner, Violet J. Barino. This amount represents compensation for all damages
that would be available under § 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

                                                      )
 VIOLET J. BARINO,                                    )
                                                      )
                  Petitioner,                         )
                                                      )    No. 18-1132V
 v.                                                   )    Chief Special Master Dorsey
                                                      )    ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN                        )
 SERVICES,                                            )
                                                      )
                  Respondent.                         )
                                                      )

               RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

I.                Items of Compensation

          On July 22, 2019, respondent conceded that entitlement to compensation was appropriate

under the terms of the Vaccine Act. Thereafter, on July 23, 2019, Chief Special Master Dorsey

issued a Ruling on Entitlement, finding that petitioner was entitled to vaccine compensation for

her Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”). Based upon the evidence of

record, respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $92,500.00. The award is

comprised of the following: $92,500.00 for pain and suffering. This amount represents all

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

Petitioner agrees.

 II.       Form of the Award

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

a lump sum payment of $92,500.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner. Petitioner

agrees.

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

                         JOSEPH H. HUNT
                         Assistant Attorney General

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

                         CATHARINE E. REEVES
                         Deputy Director
                         Torts Branch, Civil Division

                         GABRIELLE M. FIELDING
                         Assistant Director
                         Torts Branch, Civil Division

                         /s/ Ida Nassar
                         IDA NASSAR
                         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) 616-4186

DATED: August 20, 2019

                            2