Court Opinion

ID: 4309868
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-09-05 16:02:19.536853+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:33.673565
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 17-972V
                                      Filed: May 9, 2018
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    MARY DUNCAN,
                                                             Special Processing Unit (SPU);
                        Petitioner,                          Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    v.                                                       Causation-In-Fact; Influenza (Flu)
                                                             Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related to
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)
    HUMAN SERVICES,

                       Respondent.

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
       petitioner.
Jennifer Leigh Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
       On July 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 shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) caused in fact by the influenza vaccination she received on
November 18, 2016. Petition at ¶¶ 1, 5. Petitioner further alleges that she suffered the
residual effects of her injury for more than six months, and that neither she nor any
other party has received compensation for her injury, alleged as vaccine caused. Id. at
¶¶ 5-6. 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1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
        On May 8, 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 “has determined that petitioner’s alleged injury is consistent
with SIRVA that was caused by the administration of petitioner’s flu vaccination.” Id. at
4. Respondent further agrees that “based on the record as it now stands, petitioner has
satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Vaccine 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