Court Opinion

ID: 4558742
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-08-26 13:01:43.382409+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:27:12.503361
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 19-00197V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    ERNESTINE HARRIS,                                         Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: July 24, 2020
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Tetanus Diphtheria acellular
                                                              Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine; Shoulder
                        Respondent.                           Injury Related to Vaccine
                                                              Administration (SIRVA)

Jimmy A. Zgheib, Zgheib Sayad, P.C., White Plains, NY, for petitioner.

Claudia Barnes Gangi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

      On February 4, 2019, Ernestine Harris 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 a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of a tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (“Tdap”)
vaccination administered on September 28, 2017. Petition at 1, 5. The case was
assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

      On July 2, 2020, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for SIRVA. On July 24, 2020, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $71,285.12
(comprised of $70,000.00 for pain and suffering and $1,285.12 for past unreimbursable

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
expenses). Proffer at 1-2. 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.

       Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump
sum payment of $71,285.12 (comprised of $70,000.00 for pain and suffering and
$1,285.12 for past unreimbursable expenses) in the form of a check payable to
Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be
available under § 15(a).

       The clerk of the 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

                                                     )
 ERNESTINE HARRIS,                                   )
                                                     )
                Petitioner,                          )
                                                     )   No. 19-197V
 v.                                                  )   Chief Special Master Corcoran
                                                     )   ECF
 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN                       )
 SERVICES,                                           )
                                                     )
                Respondent.                          )
                                                     )

            RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

       On February 4, 2019, Ernestine Harris (“petitioner”) filed this claim under the National

Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (“Vaccine Act” or “Act”), as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§

300aa-1 to -34, alleging that she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration

(“SIRVA”) as a result of a tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine administered

to her on September 28, 2017. Petition at 1, 5. On June 30, 2020, 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 SIRVA Table injury, and on July 2, 2020, the

Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to compensation.

ECF No. 29; ECF No. 30.

I.     Items of Compensation

       A.      Pain and Suffering

       Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $70,000.00 in pain and suffering.

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.
       B.      Past Unreimbursable Expenses

       Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that she incurred past unreimbursable

expenses related to her vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be

awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $1,285.12. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-

15(a)(1)(B). Petitioner agrees.

       These amounts represent 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 $71,285.12, in the form of a

check payable to petitioner.

III.   Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

       Lump sum payable to petitioner, Ernestine Harris:                     $71,285.12

                                              Respectfully submitted,

                                              ETHAN P. DAVIS
                                              Acting Assistant Attorney General

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

                                              CATHARINE E. REEVES
                                              Deputy Director
                                              Torts Branch, Civil Division

1
  Should 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 pain and
suffering.
                                                 2
                       ALEXIS B. BABCOCK
                       Assistant Director
                       Torts Branch, Civil Division

                       /s/
                         Claudia B. Gangi
                       CLAUDIA B. GANGI
                       Senior 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) 616-4138
                       Email: claudia.gangi@usdoj.gov

Dated: July 24, 2020

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