Court Opinion

ID: 4313714
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-09-19 20:01:53.635203+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:24:24.588630
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                                          OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                                                  No. 17-1273V
                                                               Filed: June 6, 2018
                                                                 UNPUBLISHED

                                                                         
    NAOMI MILLER,                                                        
                                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                                           Petitioner,                       Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    v.                                                                       Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                                             Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                                  Administration (SIRVA)
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                                         Respondent.

                                                                         
Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Voris Edward Johnson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.
 
                                                               RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
        On September 15, 2017, Naomi Miller (“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 she suffered a shoulder
injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”)
vaccine she received on September 23, 2016 to her right shoulder. Petition at 1. The
case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.
        On June 6, 2018, 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 concludes that “petitioner suffered the Table injury of SIRVA
                                                            
1
  Because this unpublished ruling 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).
following her September 23, 2016 flu vaccination within the Table time period, and there
is not a preponderance of the medical evidence that petitioner’s SIRVA was due to a
factor unrelated to vaccination.” Id. at 5. Respondent further agrees that “[t]he claim
also meets the statutory severity requirements because petitioner experienced the
sequelae of her SIRVA for more than six months” and has therefore “satisfied all legal
prerequisites for compensation under the Act.” Id.
     In view of respondent’s position and the evidence of record, the
undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
                                 s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                 Nora Beth Dorsey
                                 Chief Special Master