Court Opinion

ID: 4309859
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-09-05 16:02:12.057262+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:42:42.067098
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 17-833V
                                      Filed: May 4, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    AUDREY REBOLLO,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    v.                                                       Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder
                                                             Injury Related to Vaccine
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Administration (SIRVA)
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

Shealene Priscilla Wasserman, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Jennifer Leigh Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                               DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On June 20, 2017, 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 left shoulder injury following her October 10,
2015 influenza vaccination. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special
Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On April 27, 2018, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner entitled to
compensation for SIRVA. On May 2, 2018, respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded $45,000.00 in
compensation for pain and suffering and $1,417.08 for past unreimbursable expenses,
for a total of $46,417.08. Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, respondent represented that

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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.

2National 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).
petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Based on the record as a whole, the
undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

        Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, the undersigned awards
petitioner a lump sum payment of $46,417.08, representing $45,000.00 in
compensation for pain and suffering and $1,417.08 in compensation for past
unreimbursable expenses related to her vaccine-related injury, in the form of a
check payable to petitioner, Audrey Rebollo. This amount represents compensation
for all damages that would be available under § 300aa-15(a).

       The clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this
decision. 3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                          s/Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          Nora Beth Dorsey
                                          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

 AUDREY REBOLLO,

                Petitioner,                           No. 17-833V
 v.                                                   Chief Special Master Dorsey
                                                      ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                Respondent.

                              PROFFER ON AWARD OF DAMAGES

       On June 20, 2017, Audrey Rebollo (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

(“Petition”) under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -

34 (“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), as amended. Respondent conceded petitioner’s entitlement to

compensation in his Rule 4(c) Report filed on April 24, 2018. Based on Respondent’s Rule 4(c)

Report the Chief Special Master found petitioner entitled to compensation.

I.    Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $45,000.00 in actual and projected

pain and suffering. This amount reflects that any award for projected pain and suffering has

been reduced to net present value. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.

       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents her expenditure of past unreimbursable

expenses related to her vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be

awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $1,417.08. Petitioner agrees.

                                                1
II.    Form of the Award

       Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a lump sum payment of $46,417.08, in the form of a check made payable to petitioner. 1

This lump sum payment represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner would be

entitled under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

       Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case.

                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                             CHAD A. READLER
                                             Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                             CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                             Deputy Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             ALEXIS B. BABCOCK
                                             Assistant Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                              s/Jennifer L. Reynaud
                                             JENNIFER L. REYNAUD
                                             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) 305-1586
Date: April 25, 2018

1
 Should petitioner die prior to the entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the
Court for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future
medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering.
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