Court Opinion

ID: 4359788
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-01-17 17:01:40.73085+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:45:17.796628
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 17-1338V
                                     Filed: December 7, 2018
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    CRIS D. SALAZAR,

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

                        Respondent.

Anthony G. Lopez, Anthony G. Lopez, Attorney at Law, Taos, NM, for petitioner.
Claudia Barnes Gangi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On September 26, 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 after receiving the trivalent influenza vaccine on
October 12, 2015, she suffered the Table Injury of shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at ¶ 1. Petitioner further alleges that she received the
vaccination alleged in the United States, suffered the residual effects of her injury for
more than six months, and that neither she nor any other party has filed a civil action or
received compensation for her injury, alleged as vaccine caused. Id. at ¶¶ 1, 6, 12, 22-

1The undersigned intends to post this ruling on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website. 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, the undersigned
agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from
public access. Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this
case, undersigned is 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).
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).
23. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special
Masters.

       On December 4, 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 reviewed the facts of this case and
concluded that petitioner’s claim meets the Table criteria for SIRVA.” Id. at 4.

     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