Court Opinion

ID: 4458193
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-11-22 13:01:49.773021+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:38:33.348369
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-0720V
                                    Filed: September 24, 2019
                                          UNPUBLISHED

 PATRICIA WRIGHT,

                         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.

Timothy Lessman, Knutsen Casey Law Firm, Mankato, MN, counsel for petitioner.
Claudia Barnes Gangi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On May 22, 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) after
receiving the influenza vaccination on October 26, 2016. Petition at 1. Petitioner further
alleges that she received the vaccination in the United States, that she suffered the
residual effects of her GBS for more than six months, and that neither she nor any other
party has filed a civil action or received compensation for her GBS. Petition at 2. The
case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.
1 The 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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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. Hereinafter, for

ease of citation, all “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
        On September 16, 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 indicates “[i]t is his position that petitioner has
satisfied the criteria set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table and Qualifications and Aids to
interpretation, which afford petitioner 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 3.

     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

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