Court Opinion

ID: 6321705
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-03-09 22:01:19.090218+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:19:22.710145
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                        No. 20-1814V
                                       UNPUBLISHED

    CALVIN RILEY,                                           Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: February 7, 2022
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                       Respondent.

Paul R. Brazil, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for Petitioner.

Nancy Tinch, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

        On December 9, 2020, Calvin Riley 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 Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
resulting from the influenza (flu) vaccination he received on December 21, 2017. Petition
at 1. Petitioner further alleges that he received the vaccination the United States, his
symptoms persisted for more than six months, and neither he, nor any other party, has
ever filed any action for his vaccine-related injury. Petition at 1-2. The case was assigned
to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On January 24, 2022, 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
 Because this unpublished Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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 ref erences to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
1. Specifically, Respondent found that “[P]etitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the
Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”),
which afford [P]etitioner a presumption of causation if the onset of GBS occurs between
three and forty-two days after a seasonal flu vaccination and there is no apparent
alternative cause.” Id. at 24. Respondent further agrees that the scope of damages to be
awarded is limited to Petitioner’s GBS and its related sequelae only. 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