Court Opinion

ID: 6334401
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-04-22 21:02:05.454648+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:37.100312
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 20-0797V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    KERI H. DAIGLE,                                             Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,
    v.                                                          Filed: March 22, 2022

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Damages Decision based on Proffer;
                                                                Influenza (Flu); Shoulder Injury
                         Respondent.                            Related to Vaccine Administration
                                                                (SIRVA).

Glen Howard Sturtevant, Jr., Rawls Law Group (Richmond), Richmond, VA, for
Petitioner.

Emilie Williams, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

       On June 30, 2020, Keri H. Daigle 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 she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of the influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on
September 30, 2019. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit
of the Office of Special Masters.

        On December 6, 2021, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner
entitled to compensation for a Table SIRVA. On March 22, 2022, Respondent filed a
proffer on an award of compensation (“Proffer”). In the Proffer, Respondent represented

1
   Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 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, 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).
that Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Based on the record as a whole, I find
that Petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

      Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $70,000.00 in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This amount
represents compensation for all damages that would be available under Section 15(a).

       The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

       IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                                 s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                                                 Brian H. Corcoran
                                                                 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

                                                     )
 KERI H. DAIGLE,                                     )
                                                     )
                Petitioner,                          )
                                                     )   No. 20-797V
 v.                                                  )   Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                     )   ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN                       )
 SERVICES,                                           )
                                                     )
                Respondent.                          )
                                                     )

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On June 30, 2020, Keri H. Daigle (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation under

the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (“Vaccine Act”

or “Act”), alleging that she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration

(“SIRVA”), as defined in the Vaccine Injury Table, following administration of an influenza

vaccine she received on September 30, 2019. Petition at 1. On December 6, 2021, the Secretary

of Health and Human Services (“respondent”) filed a Rule 4(c) Report indicating that this case is

appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act for a SIRVA Table injury, and on that

same date, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to

compensation. ECF No. 33; ECF No. 34.

I.     Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $70,000.00 in pain and suffering.

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.
       This amounts represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled

under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

II.    Form of the Award

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

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a

lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision and

the Court’s judgment award the following1: a lump sum payment of $70,000.00, in the form of a

check payable to petitioner.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Keri H. Daigle:                              $70,000.00

                                              Respectfully submitted,

                                              BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                              Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

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

                                              HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                              Deputy Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                              TRACI R. PATTON
                                              Assistant Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

1
  Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the Court
for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future lost earnings
and future pain and suffering.
                                                 2
                        /s/ Emilie F. Williams
                        EMILIE F. WILLIAMS
                        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) 305-0124
                        Emilie.williams@usdoj.gov

DATED: March 22, 2022

                          3