Court Opinion

ID: 4514080
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-03-09 20:02:15.01801+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:48:16.155246
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 17-1936V
                                        (not to be published)

    MELODY CHESLEY,
                                                                Chief Special Master Corcoran
                         Petitioner,
    v.                                                          Filed: February 6, 2020

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Special Processing Unit                 (SPU);
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Attorney’s Fees and Costs

                         Respondent.

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

Adriana Ruth Teitel, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                       DECISION ON ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS 1

      On December 13, 2017, Melody Chesley 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 she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related
to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”), resulting from the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular
pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccination she received on January 6, 2017. (Petition at 1). On June

1  Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 decision 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).
5, 2019, a decision was issued awarding compensation to Petitioner based on the
Respondent’s proffer. (ECF No. 35).

        Petitioner has now filed a motion for attorney’s fees and costs, dated January 7,
2020 (ECF No. 39), requesting an award of $31,122.62 (representing $27,804.30 in fees
and $3,318.32 in costs). In accordance with General Order #9 Petitioner filed a signed
statement that she has incurred out-of-pocket expenses in the amount of $617.50. (ECF
No. 40-1). Respondent reacted to the motion on January 21, 2020 indicating that he is
satisfied that the statutory requirements for an award of attorney’s fees and costs are met
in this case and defers to the Court’s discretion to determine the amount to be awarded.
(ECF No. 41). Petitioner did not file a reply thereafter.

       I have reviewed the billing records submitted with Petitioner’s request. In my
experience, the request appears reasonable, and I find no cause to reduce the requested
hours or rates.

      Accordingly, petitioner is awarded the total amount of $31,740.12 3 as
follows:

             •   A lump sum of $31,122.62, representing reimbursement for
                 attorneys’ fees and costs, in the form of a check payable jointly to
                 Petitioner and Petitioner’s counsel and

             •   A lump sum of $617.50, representing reimbursement for Petitioner’s
                 costs, in the form of a check payable to petitioner.

        The clerk of the court shall enter judgment in accordance herewith. 4

IT IS SO ORDERED.

                                                           s/Brian H. Corcoran
                                                           Brian H. Corcoran
                                                           Chief Special Master

3 This amount is intended to cover all legal expenses incurred in this matter. This award encompasses all

charges by the attorney against a client, “advanced costs” as well as fees for legal services rendered.
Furthermore, § 15(e)(3) prevents an attorney from charging or collecting fees (including costs) that would
be in addition to the amount awarded herein. See generally Beck v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
924 F.2d 1029 (Fed. Cir.1991).
4 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.
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