Beaver v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 14-0991V Filed: June 22, 2016 UNPUBLISHED **************************** ROCHELLE BEAVER, * * Petitioner, * Joint Stipulation on Damages; v. * Tetanus, Diphtheria, acellular Pertussis * (“Tdap”) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Related to Vaccine Administration AND HUMAN SERVICES, * (“SIRVA”); Special Processing Unit * (“SPU”) Respondent. * * **************************** Ronald Homer, Conway, Homer, & Chin-Caplan, P.C., Boston, MA, for petitioner. Camille Collett, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On October 15, 2014, 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”). On December 5, 2014, petitioner filed an amended petition, clarifying the specific vaccination received by petitioner. Petitioner alleges that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) resulting from the tetanus- diphtheria-acellular-pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine she received on October 26, 2011. Amended Petition at 1, ¶¶ 1, 3. Petitioner further alleges that she received the vaccination in the United States and that no lawsuits have been filed or settled by petitioner or any other person. Id. at ¶¶ 5-6. “Respondent denies that the Tdap immunization is the cause of petitioner’s alleged shoulder injury, or any other injury or condition.” Stipulation, filed June 22, 2016, at ¶ 6. 1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website,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). 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. 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). Nevertheless, on June 22, 2016, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein. The parties stipulate that petitioner shall receive the following compensation: A lump sum of $55,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner. Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Id. The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation. In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3 IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey 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 Case 1:14-vv-00991-UNJ Document 43 Filed 06/22/16 Page 1 of 5 Case 1:14-vv-00991-UNJ Document 43 Filed 06/22/16 Page 2 of 5 Case 1:14-vv-00991-UNJ Document 43 Filed 06/22/16 Page 3 of 5 Case 1:14-vv-00991-UNJ Document 43 Filed 06/22/16 Page 4 of 5 Case 1:14-vv-00991-UNJ Document 43 Filed 06/22/16 Page 5 of 5