Court Opinion

ID: 3214153
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-06-16 20:02:24.242973+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:27:26.453927
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 16-69V
                                      Filed: May 18, 2016
                                        UNPUBLISHED
*********************************
SHIRLEY GROSSMAN,                                 *
                                                  *
                         Petitioner,              *
v.                                                *
                                                  *        Attorneys’ Fees and Costs;
SECRETARY OF HEALTH                               *        Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
AND HUMAN SERVICES,                               *
                                                  *
                         Respondent.              *
                                                  *
****************************
Maximillian Muller, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Gordon Shemin, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                      DECISION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

        On January 12, 2016, 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” or “Program”). Petitioner alleges that she suffered significant aggravation
of a prior shoulder injury following the administration of the Prevnar 13 vaccine (a
pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) on March 12, 2015. Petition at 1. On April 7, 2016,
the undersigned issued a decision awarding compensation to petitioner based on
respondent’s proffer to which petitioner agreed. (ECF No. 13).

      On April 21, 2016, petitioner filed a motion for attorneys’ fees and costs. (ECF
No. 17). Petitioner requests attorneys’ fees in the amount of $13,132.50 and attorneys’

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
costs in the amount of $853.82 for a total amount of $13,986.32. Id. at 2. In
accordance with General Order #9, petitioner’s counsel represents that petitioner
incurred no out-of-pocket expenses. Id. at ¶ 5.

      In the motion, petitioner indicates respondent has no objection to petitioner’s
motion. Id. at ¶ 4. Moreover, respondent has not filed a response to petitioner’s
motion.

       The undersigned has reviewed the billing records submitted with petitioner’s
request. In the undersigned’s experience, the request appears reasonable, and the
undersigned finds no cause to reduce the requested hours or rates with one exception.
The undersigned reduces petitioner’s counsel’s requested hours by .4 hours, or
$102.00, as counsel failed to provide a date corresponding to the .4 hours he billed to
“[p]repare settlement package for client.” Id. at 7.

       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 $13,884.323 as a lump
sum in the form of a check jointly payable to petitioner and petitioner’s counsel
Maximillian Muller.

        The clerk of the court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith.4

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                          s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                          Nora Beth Dorsey
                                                          Chief Special Master

3This 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).

4 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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