Court Opinion

ID: 6325100
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-03-21 13:02:03.939864+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:19.464247
License: Public Domain

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
                                   OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
                                           No. 19-1513V
                                          UNPUBLISHED

    BARRY TAYLOR,                                               Chief Special Master Corcoran

                         Petitioner,                            Filed: February 14, 2022
    v.
                                                                Special Processing Unit (SPU);
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                     Damages Decision Based on Proffer;
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                             Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Guillain-
                                                                Barre Syndrome (GBS)
                         Respondent.

John Robert Howie, Howie Law, PC, Dallas, TX, for Petitioner.

Camille Michelle Collett, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

                                 DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

        On September 30, 2019, Barry Taylor 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”) as a
result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine that was administered to him on September 27, 2016.
Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.

        On February 14, 2022, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner
entitled to compensation for GBS. On February 3, 2022, Respondent filed a combined
Rule 4 report/proffer on award of compensation (“Rule 4/Proffer”) indicating Petitioner
should be awarded $199,263.93 (comprised of $140,000.00 for pain and suffering and
$59,263.93 for lost wages). Proffer at 7. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that

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   Because this unpublished Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am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 section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).
Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that
Petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

      Pursuant to the terms stated in the Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump sum
payment of $199,263.93 (comprised of $140,000.00 for pain and suffering and
$59,263.93) in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This amount represents
compensation for all damages that would be available under Section 15(a).

       The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

       IT IS SO ORDERED.

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

3
  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.

                                                    2