Court Opinion

ID: 4553875
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-08-07 13:01:17.073038+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:14:50.448758
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 19-0576V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    JOHN ROGERS,                                              Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: July 6, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Tetanus Diphtheria acellular
                                                              Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine; Influenza
                        Respondent.                           (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury
                                                              Related to Vaccine Administration
                                                              (SIRVA)

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

Colleen Clemons Hartley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

      On April 17, 2019, John Rogers 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 left shoulder injury related to
vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) after receiving tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis
(“Tdap”) and influenza (“flu”) vaccines on August 21, 2017. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 12. The
case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

     On July 2, 2020, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for his SIRVA. On July 6, 2020, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $68,079.61,

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  Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
representing $67,500.00 for his pain and suffering and $579.61 for his past
unreimburseable expenses. Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that
Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Id. 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 $$68,079.61, representing $67,500.00 for his pain and suffering
and $579.61 for his actual unreimburseable expenses in the form of a check
payable to Petitioner. 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/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

                                                     )
 JOHN ROGERS,                                        )
                                                     )
                Petitioner,                          )
                                                     )   No. 19-576V
 v.                                                  )   Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                     )   ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN                       )
 SERVICES,                                           )
                                                     )
                Respondent.                          )
                                                     )

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On April 17, 2019, John Rogers (“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 he suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration

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

vaccine he received on August 21, 2017. Petition at Introduction. On July 1, 2020, 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 July

2, 2020, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to

compensation. ECF No. 23; ECF 24.

I.     Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $67,500.00 in pain and suffering.

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.
       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that he incurred past unreimbursable expenses

related to his vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded past

unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $579.61. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(1)(B).

Petitioner agrees.

       These amounts represent 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 following 1: a lump sum payment of $68,079.61, in the form of a

check payable to petitioner.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, John Rogers:                                 $68,079.61

                                              Respectfully submitted,

                                              ETHAN P. DAVIS
                                              Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                              CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                              Deputy 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
                      DARRYL R. WISHARD
                      Assistant Director
                      Torts Branch, Civil Division

                      /s/ Colleen C. Hartley
                      COLLEEN C. HARTLEY
                      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) 616-3644
DATED: July 6, 2020

                         3