Court Opinion

ID: 4707302
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-07-28 21:04:06.184253+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:06:41.337250
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-0060V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    ERIN HARLAND,                                           Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: June 22, 2021
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Tetanus, Diphtheria,
                                                            acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine;
                       Respondent.                          Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                            Administration (SIRVA)

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

Kyle Edward Pozza, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On January 21, 2020, Erin Harland 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 defined on the Vaccine Injury Table or, in the alternative, was
caused-in-fact by the tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine she received on January 19,
2018. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 17. Petitioner further alleges that she received the influenza
vaccine in the United States, that she suffered the residual effects of her SIRVA for more
than six months, and that neither she nor any other party has filed a civil or received
compensation for her SIRVA. Id. at ¶¶ 2, 17; Exhibit 18 at ¶ 5. The case was assigned to
the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa
(2012).
       On June 22, 2021, 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.
ECF No. 21. Specifically, Respondent has “concluded that [P]etitioner’s claim meets the
Table criteria for SIRVA.” Id. at 4.

       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

                                           2