Court Opinion

ID: 5131482
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-12-03 22:02:22.030944+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:23:24.308493
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 20-0937V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    CARL CARNES,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: November 2, 2021
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                       Respondent.                          Administration (SIRVA)

Jeffrey S. Pop, Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates, Beverly Hills, CA, for Petitioner.

Alexa Roggenkamp, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

       On July 31, 2020, Carl Carnes 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 he suffered a left shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (SIRVA) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on September 21,
2019. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office
of Special Masters.

       On November 2, 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. Specifically, Respondent states that Petitioner had no history of pain, inflammation, or
dysfunction of his left shoulder; Petitioner’s pain occurred within 48 hours after receipt of

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  Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
an intramuscular vaccination; Petitioner’s pain was limited to the shoulder in which the
vaccine was administered; and no other condition or abnormality has been identified to
explain Petitioner’s shoulder pain. Id. at 7. Respondent further agrees that no other
causes for Petitioner’s SIRVA were identified and the statutory six-month sequela
requirement has been satisfied. Id.

       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