Court Opinion

ID: 4520587
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-03-30 12:01:45.405066+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:24:03.657013
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 18-1617V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    DEBORAH ANN DUNATOV,                                    Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: February 25, 2020
    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)

Robert D. Trzynka, Hovland, Rasmus, Brendtro & Trzynka, Prof. LLC, Sioux Falls, SD,
for petitioner.

Julia Marter Collison, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On October 18, 2018, Deborah Ann Dunatov 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 an influenza (“flu”) vaccination received
on October 26, 2016. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit
of the Office of Special Masters.

       On February 24, 2020, 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 agrees that “petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
Vaccine Injury Table (Table) and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation (QAI).” Id.
at 4. Respondent further agrees that Petitioner had no history of pain, inflammation, or
dysfunction in the affected shoulder, her pain and reduced range of motion occurred
within 48 hours of receipt of an intramuscular vaccination, her symptoms were limited to
the shoulder where the vaccination was administered, and no other condition or
abnormality was identified to explain her symptoms. Id.

       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