Kleva v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 17-749V Filed: March 8, 2018 UNPUBLISHED ANN E. KLEVA, Special Processing Unit (SPU); Petitioner, Ruling on Entitlement; Concession; v. Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related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. Daniel Henry Pfeifer, Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak, South Bend, IN, for petitioner. Lisa Ann Watts, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On June 6, 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 shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”), a Table Injury, due to an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on September 28, 2011.3 Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters. 1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website,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). 3 Petitioner’s September 28, 2011 SIRVA qualifies as a Table injury under the eight-year lookback provision for the March 21, 2017 revisions to the Vaccine Injury Table. 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-16(b)(2). On March 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 the Division of Injury Compensation Programs (“DICP”) has concluded that “petitioner suffered SIRVA as defined by the Vaccine Injury Table.” Id. at 4. Respondent further agrees that “based on the record as it now stands, petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Act”. Id. at 5. 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 2