Court Opinion

ID: 8208074
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-21 17:01:52.125469+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:41:29.396135
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 21-2059V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    WILLIAM MALLARD,                                            Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: August 19, 2022
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Guillain-
                                                                Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                         Respondent.

Celia Farrar Hastings, Greg Coleman Law, PC, Knoxville, TN, for Petitioner.

Sarah Black Rifkin, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

        On October 22, 2021, William Mallard 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 Guillain-Barré syndrome (“GBS”) as a
result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on October 26, 2018. Petition at 1. The
case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On June 13, 2022, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for GBS. On August 18, 2022, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $165,000.00 in pain and
suffering damages. Proffer at 1. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner
agrees with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner
is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

1  Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 Decision 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.

2National 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).
       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $165,000.00 (for pain and suffering) in the form of a check payable
to Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be
available under Section 15(a).

       The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

       IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                                 s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                                                 Brian H. Corcoran
                                                                 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

 WILLIAM MALLARD,

                Petitioner,                          No. 21-2059V (ECF)
                                                     Chief Special Master Corcoran
 v.

 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
 HUMAN SERVICES,

                Respondent.

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On October 22, 2021, William Mallard (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation

under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34

(“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), as amended. Petitioner alleges that he suffered Guillain-Barré

syndrome (“GBS”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered to him on October 26,

2018. Petition at 1.

       On June 6, 2022, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (“respondent”) filed a Rule

4(c) Report indicating that this case is appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act

for a GBS Table injury, and on June 13, 2022, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on

Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to compensation. ECF Nos. 20 and 21.

I.     Items of Compensation

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $165,000.00 in pain and suffering

damages. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). This amount represents all elements of compensation

to which petitioner is entitled under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.
II.    Form of the Award

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

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a

lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision and

the Court’s judgment award the following 1: a lump sum payment of $165,000.00, in the form of

a check payable to petitioner.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, William Mallard:                     $165,000.00

                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                             BRIAN M. BOYNTON
                                             Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

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

                                             HEATHER L. PEARLMAN
                                             Deputy Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             LARA A. ENGLUND
                                             Assistant Director
                                             Torts Branch, Civil Division

                                             s/Sarah B. Rifkin
                                             SARAH B. RIFKIN
                                             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) 305-5997
Dated: August 18, 2022                       Sarah.Rifkin@usdoj.gov

1Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the Court
for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future lost earnings
and future pain and suffering.
                                                2