Court Opinion

ID: 4359124
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-01-16 13:01:22.725037+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:35:31.326436
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 17-0472V
                                   Filed: November 30, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    JOHN SOLAK,

                        Petitioner,
    v.                                                       Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                                                             Attorneys’ Fees and Costs
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

Isaiah Richard Kalinowski, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Robert Paul Coleman, III, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                      DECISION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On April 3, 2017, 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 he suffered a shoulder injury as a result of an influenza
vaccine administered on October 31, 2015. Petition at 1-2. On October 5, 2018, the
undersigned issued a decision awarding compensation to petitioner based on the
parties’ stipulation. ECF No. 43.

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 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the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).

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).
        On October 31, 2018, petitioner filed a motion for attorneys’ fees and costs. ECF
No. 47. Petitioner requests attorneys’ fees in the amount of $19,832.50 and attorneys’
costs in the amount of $1,384.19. Id. at 1. In compliance with General Order #9,
petitioner filed a signed statement indicating that petitioner incurred no out-of-pocket
expenses. Id. at 2. Thus, the total amount requested is $21,216.69.

        On November 14, 2018, respondent filed a response to petitioner’s motion. ECF
No. 48. Respondent argues that “[n]either the Vaccine Act nor Vaccine Rule 13
contemplates any role for respondent in the resolution of a request by a petitioner for an
award of attorneys’ fees and costs.” Id. at 1. Respondent adds, however, that he “is
satisfied the statutory requirements for an award of attorneys’ fees and costs are met in
this case.” Id. at 2. Respondent “respectfully recommends that the Chief Special
Master exercise her discretion and determine a reasonable award for attorneys’ fees
and costs.” Id. at 3.

       On November 16, 2018, petitioner filed a reply. ECF No. 49. Petitioner disputes
respondent’s position that he has no role in resolving attorneys’ fees and costs and
further reiterates his view that his attorneys’ fees and costs in this case are reasonable.

      The undersigned has reviewed the billing records submitted with petitioner’s
request and finds a reduction in the amount of fees to be awarded appropriate for the
reasons listed below.

       I.     Legal Standard

         The Vaccine Act permits an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.§
15(e). Counsel must submit fee requests that include contemporaneous and specific
billing records indicating the service performed, the number of hours expended on the
service, and the name of the person performing the service. See Savin v. Sec’y of
Health & Human Servs., 85 Fed. Cl. 313, 316-18 (2008). Counsel should not include in
their fee requests hours that are “excessive, redundant, or otherwise unnecessary.”
Saxton v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., 3 F.3d 1517, 1521 (Fed. Cir. 1993) (quoting
Hensley v. Eckerhart, 461 U.S. 424, 434 (1983)). It is “well within the special master’s
discretion to reduce the hours to a number that, in [her] experience and judgment, [is]
reasonable for the work done.” Id. at 1522. Furthermore, the special master may
reduce a fee request sua sponte, apart from objections raised by respondent and
without providing a petitioner notice and opportunity to respond. See Sabella v. Sec’y of
Health & Human Servs., 86 Fed. Cl. 201, 209 (2009). A special master need not
engaged in a line-by-line analysis of petitioner’s fee application when reducing fees.
Broekelschen v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., 102 Fed. Cl. 719, 729 (2011).

        The petitioner “bears the burden of establishing the hours expended, the rates
charged, and the expenses incurred.” Wasson v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., 24
Cl. Ct. at 482, 484 (1991). She “should present adequate proof [of the attorneys’ fees
and costs sought] at the time of the submission.” Id. at 484 n.1. Petitioner’s counsel
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“should make a good faith effort to exclude from a fee request hours that are excessive,
redundant, or otherwise unnecessary, just as a lawyer in private practice ethically is
obligated to exclude such hours from his fee submission.” Hensley, 461 U.S., at 434.

          II.     Discussion

                  A. Excessive and Duplicative Billing

        The undersigned has previously reduced the fees paid to petitioners due to
excessive and duplicative billing. See Ericzon v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., No.
10-103V, 2016 WL 447770 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Jan. 15, 2016) (reduced overall fee
award by 10 percent due to excessive and duplicative billing); Raymo v. Sec’y of Health
& Human Servs., No. 11-654V, 2016 WL 7212323 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Nov. 2, 2016)
(reduced overall fee award by 20 percent), mot. for rev. denied, 129 Fed. Cl. 691
(2016). The undersigned and other special masters have previously noted the
inefficiency that results when cases are staffed by multiple individuals and have reduced
fees accordingly. See Sabella, 86 Fed. Cl. at 209.

         Billing records show that in addition to Mr. Kalinowski, 10 paralegals worked on
this case, with some billing less than one hour. This resulted in multiple reviews of the
same records, orders and updating the same entries on files. For example, the Mr.
Kalinowski and the paralegals list 40 separate entries as reviewing court notifications of
filings, totaling 4.2 hours of time.3 The undersigned shall reduce the request for
attorney’s fees by $306.904, the total of the duplicated hours at the paralegal rates.

                  B. Administrative Time

       Upon review of the billing records submitted, it appears that a number of entries
are for tasks considered clerical or administrative. In the Vaccine Program, secretarial
work “should be considered as normal overhead office costs included within the
attorneys’ fee rates.” Rochester v. U.S., 18 Cl. Ct. 379, 387 (1989); Dingle v. Sec’y of
Health & Human Servs., No. 08-579V, 2014 WL 630473, at *4 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr.
Jan. 24, 2014). “[B]illing for clerical and other secretarial work is not permitted in the
Vaccine Program.” Mostovoy, 2016 WL 720969, at *5 (citing Rochester, 18 Cl. Ct. at

3  Examples of these entries include: May 10, 2017 (0.10 hrs IK) “Review Scheduling Order of the Court
setting 4(a) status conference. (0.10 hrs KAG) “Review initial status conference order and update
deadlines”; October 2, 2017 (0.10 hrs IK) “Review the Scheduling Order of the Court” (0.10 hrs KAG)
“Review the scheduling Order and update deadlines”; February 26, 2018 (0.10 hrs IK) “”Review
Scheduling Order of the Court” (0.10 hrs KAG) “Review Order and update deadlines” and June 1, 2018
(0.10 hrs IK) “Review 15-week Order” (0.10 hrs TMT) “Review 15-week Order and update deadlines and
file notes.” ECF No. 47-1 at 6, 8 and 11-13. These entries are mealy examples and not an exhaustive
list.

4   This amount consists of (1.3 hrs x $145 = $188.50) + (0.8 hrs x $148 = $118.40) = $306.90.

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387). A total of 3.6 hours was billed by paralegals on tasks considered administrative5
including, receiving documents, reviewing and finalizing exhibits, and mailing
documents. Therefore the undersigned reduces the request for attorneys’ fees by
$518.606, the total amount of the entries considered administrative.

        III.    Attorney Costs

       Petitioner requests reimbursement for costs incurred from Maglio Christopher &
Toale in the amount of $1,384.19. ECF No. 47 at 1. After reviewing petitioner’s
invoices, the undersigned finds no cause to reduce petitioner’s’ request and awards the
full amount of attorney costs sought.

        IV.     Conclusion

       Accordingly, the undersigned awards the total of $20,391.197 as a lump
sum in the form of a check jointly payable to petitioner and petitioner’s counsel
Isaiah Kalinowski. Petitioner requests check be forwarded to Maglio Christopher
& Toale, PA, 1605 Main Street, Suite 710, Sarasota, Florida 34236.

        The clerk of the court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith.8

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                           s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Chief Special Master

5 Examples of these entries include: February 17, 2016 (0.20 hrs) “Organize and prepare client file for
attorney review for case viability”; March 8, 2016 (0.10 hrs) “Prepare exhibit 2 for attorney review and
submission”, April 4, 2017 (0.10 hrs) “Review filed copy of petition.”, May 15, 2017 (0.10 hrs) “Review
minute entry of status conference”; January 22, 2018 (0.10 hrs) “Review and finalize notice of intent to
remain in program” and September 21, 2018 (0.2 hrs) “Prepare and send cover letter with stipulation and
return envelope to client for signature.” ECF No. 47-1 at 2-3, 5-6, 10 and 13. These entries are mealy
examples and not an exhaustive list.
6
 This amount consists of (0.70 hrs x $135 = $94.50) + (1.7 hrs x $145 = $246.50) + (1.2 hrs x $148 =
$177.60) = $518.60.

7This amount is intended to cover all legal expenses incurred in this matter. This award encompasses all
charges by the attorney against a client, “advanced costs” as well as fees for legal services rendered.
Furthermore, § 15(e)(3) prevents an attorney from charging or collecting fees (including costs) that would
be in addition to the amount awarded herein. See generally Beck v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
924 F.2d 1029 (Fed. Cir.1991).

8 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.
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