Court Opinion

ID: 4912278
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-09-20 13:04:16.672165+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:13:39.061232
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-480V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

 TIMOTHY RAWLINGS,                                          Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: August 17, 2021
 v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                    Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
 HUMAN SERVICES,                                            Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                       Respondent.

Bridget Candace McCullough, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for Petitioner.

Zoe Wade, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On April 21, 2020, Timothy Rawlings 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 Table Injury – Guillain-Barre
Syndrome (“GBS”) – as a result of his November 20, 2017 influneza (“flu”) vaccination.
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

       On August 17, 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 indicates that

1 Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa
(2012).
       [i]t is respondent’s position that petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth
       in the recently revised Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications
       and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”), which afford petitioner a presumption of
       causation if onset of GBS occurs between three and forty-two days after a
       seasonal flu vaccination and there is no apparent alternative cause. 42
       C.F.R. § 100.3 (a)(XIV)(D), (c)(15).

Id. at 8-9.

       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