Court Opinion

ID: 4640998
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-12-09 18:02:21.014516+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:40:26.746666
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                 OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                         No. 19-2012V
                                        UNPUBLISHED

    THOMAS JEFFREY MICKLES,                                 Chief Special Master Corcoran

                        Petitioner,                         Filed: November 6, 2020
    v.
                                                            Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                 Ruling on Entitlement; Concession;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                         Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine;
                                                            Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                       Respondent.

Nancy Routh Meyers, Turning Point Litigation, Greensboro, NC, for petitioner.

Jennifer Leigh Reynaud, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

                                   RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1

       On December 31, 2019, Thomas Jeffrey Mickles 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 he suffered Guillain-Barré Syndrome (“GBS”)
caused by the influenza vaccine he received on October 16, 2018. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 20.
The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

        On October 23, 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, ECF No. 24. Specifically, Respondent states “[i]t is [his] position that [P]etitioner has
satisfied the criteria set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications
and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”).” Id. at 4.

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  Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required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).
       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