Court Opinion

ID: 4487073
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-01-17 21:01:50.498434+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:34:53.045931
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1799V
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    MICHELLE BRASSINGTON,                                     Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                          Filed: December 12, 2019
    v.
                                                              Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                   Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                           Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                              Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
                        Respondent.                           Administration (SIRVA)

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for
petitioner.

Camille Michelle Collett, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

        On November 21, 2018, Michelle Brassington 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 left Shoulder Injury
Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine
administered on September 21, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the
Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

      On December 9, 2019, Respondent filed his Rule 4(c) report in which he
concedes that Petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
4(c) Report at 1. Specifically, Respondent notes that Petitioner had no history of pain,
inflammation or dysfunction of the affected shoulder prior to vaccine administration, that
Petitioner “more likely than not” suffered the onset of pain within 48 hours of vaccine
administration, her symptoms were limited to the shoulder in which the vaccine was
administered, and there is no other condition or abnormality present that would explain
Petitioner’s symptoms Id. at 4-5. Respondent further agrees that the case was timely
filed, that the vaccine was received in the United States, and that Petitioner satisfies the
statutory severity requirement by suffering the residual effects or complications of her
injury for more than six months after vaccine administration. Id. At 4-5.

       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