Hyatt v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 17-650V Filed: February 7, 2018 UNPUBLISHED DONNA T. HYATT, Special Processing Unit (SPU); Petitioner, Ruling on Entitlement; Concession; v. Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND Administration (SIRVA) HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent. Shealene Priscilla Wasserman, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner. Voris Edward Johnson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On May 17, 2017, 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”). Petitioner alleges that she suffered a right shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of her September 14, 2015 influenza (“flu”) vaccination. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters. On February 7, 2018, 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 “has concluded that petitioner suffered the Table injury of SIRVA following her September 14, 2015 flu vaccination within the Table time period, 1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website,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). and there is not a preponderance of the medical evidence that petitioner’s SIRVA was due to a factor unrelated to the vaccination.” Id. at 1. Respondent further agrees that petitioner has met the statutory severity requirement by experiencing sequela of her injury for more than six months, and that petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites to compensation under the Vaccine Act. Id. In view of respondent’s position and the evidence of record, the undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation. IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey Chief Special Master