Court Opinion

ID: 8421024
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-11-03 21:01:09.662636+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:48:24.114675
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 21-1901V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

 GEORGE GRACE,                                              Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: October 4, 2022
 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.

Matthew F. Belanger, Faraci Lange, LLP, Rochester, NY, for Petitioner.

Naseem Kourosh, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On September 24, 2021, George Grace 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 that he suffered from Guillain-Barre Syndrom
(“GBS”) as a result of an influenza vaccine he received on February 21, 2019. Petition at
1. Petitioner further alleges “that his symptoms have persisted well beyond the six-month
period required to establish entitlement to compensation. Id. The case was assigned to
the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

      On September 30, 2022, 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 “has concluded that Petitioner’s claim satisfies the

1 Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
Vaccine Injury Table criteria for GBS resulting from a seasonal flu vaccine, with onset
occurring between three and forty-two days after vaccination, with no more likely
alternative diagnosis and no preponderant alternative cause.” Id. at 7. Respondent further
agrees that “Petitioner’s injury lasted for more than six months.” Id.

       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

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