Court Opinion

ID: 4452511
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-11-01 20:02:06.698468+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:25:22.728898
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                          No. 18-1266V
                                      Filed: August 6, 2019
                                         UNPUBLISHED

    TINA FURLANO,

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

                        Respondent.

Bridget Candace McCullough, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.
Colleen Clemons Hartley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

         On August 22, 2018, Tina Furlano (“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 as a result of receiving an influenza
(“flu”) vaccine on October 4, 2016, she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine
Administration (“SIRVA”) to her left shoulder. Petition at Introduction. 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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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 August 5, 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 “petitioner’s medical course is consistent with
a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (‘SIRVA’) as defined by the Vaccine
Injury Table. Specifically, petitioner had no recent history of pain, inflammation, or
dysfunction of her left shoulder, pain occurred within 48 hours after receipt of an
intramuscular vaccination, pain was limited to the shoulder where the vaccine was
administered, and no other condition or abnormality, such as brachial neuritis, has been
identified to explain petitioner’s shoulder pain.” Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that
“based on the medical records outlined above, petitioner suffered the residual effects of
her condition for more than six months” and therefore “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

                                             2