Court Opinion

ID: 4153176
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-03-16 12:03:11.233093+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:37:47.566842
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 15-1518V
                                    Filed: December 1, 2016
                                         UNPUBLISHED
*********************************
JAMIE J. DYSON,                                   *
                                                  *
                         Petitioner,              *
v.                                                *
                                                  *        Attorneys’ Fees and Costs;
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                               *        Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                               *
                                                  *
                         Respondent.              *
                                                  *
****************************
Nancy Meyers, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, NC, for petitioner.
Michael Milmoe, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                      DECISION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On December 15, 2015, 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 alleged that he suffered Guillain-Barré Syndrome (“GBS”)
after receiving the influenza vaccine on November 4, 2014. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 8. On
October 11, 2016, the undersigned issued a decision awarding compensation to
petitioner based on the parties’ stipulation. (ECF No. 26).

      On December 1, 2016, petitioner filed an unopposed motion for attorneys’ fees
and costs. (ECF No. 30).3 Petitioner requests attorneys’ fees in the amount of
1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the
undersigned intends 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). 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.
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).
3 The motion was filed as an unopposed motion and specifically states that respondent has no objection
to the overall amount requested by petitioner.
$10,038.50 and attorneys’ costs in the amount of $819.53 for a total amount of
$10,858.03. Id. at 1. In compliance with General Order #9, petitioner has filed a signed
statement indicating petitioner incurred no out-of-pocket expenses. See General Order
#9 Statement, filed as an Attachment to Petitioner’s Motion for Fees and Costs (ECF
No. 30).

       The Vaccine Act permits an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
§ 15(e). Based on the reasonableness of petitioner’s request and the lack of opposition
from respondent, the undersigned GRANTS petitioner’s motion for attorneys’ fees and
costs.

      Accordingly, the undersigned awards the total of $10,858.034 as a lump
sum in the form of a check jointly payable to petitioner and petitioner’s counsel
Ward Black Law, P.A.

        The clerk of the court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith.5

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                           s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                           Chief Special Master

4This 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).

5 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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