Court Opinion

ID: 4414039
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-07-04 04:01:57.911662+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:23:21.728354
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-0806V
                                       Filed: April 23, 2019
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    GORDON ERNST,

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

                         Respondent.

Joseph Alexander Vuckovich, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.
Althea Walker Davis, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                     RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On June 7, 2018, 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 Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) as a result
of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination administered on November 23, 2016. Petition at 1-2.
The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On April 22, 2019, 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 medical personnel at the Division of Injury

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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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).

2   National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755.
Compensation Programs, Department of Health and Human Services (“DICP”) have
concluded that petitioner suffered the Table injury of GBS following a flu vaccine within
the Table time period, and there is not a preponderance of the medical evidence that
petitioner’s GBS was due to a factor unrelated to the vaccination Id. at 5. Respondent
further states that this claim “meets the statutory severity requirement as petitioner’s
medical records show that he experienced sequelae of his GBS for more than six
months.” Id. Respondent concludes that “based on the record as it now stands,
compensation is appropriate, as petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for
compensation under the 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