Court Opinion

ID: 4456339
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-11-15 21:01:59.146906+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:48:37.715476
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                  OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 18-0776V
                                      Filed: August 27, 2019
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    ELIZABETH PHENNEGER,

                         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.

Kristina E. Grigorian, Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates, Beverly Hills, CA, for petitioner.
Ryan Daniel Pyles, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                    RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

       On May 31, 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 developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) as a
result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on September 21, 2016. Petition at 1.
The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

       On August 26, 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
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 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this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).

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).
at 1. Specifically, respondent agrees that petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in
the revised 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 4. Respondent further agrees that the statutory six month sequelae
requirement has been satisfied and that 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

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