Stewart v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 18-650V Filed: April 25, 2019 UNPUBLISHED MARY STEWART, Petitioner, Special Processing Unit (SPU); v. Ruling on Entitlement; Concession; Table Injury; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine HUMAN SERVICES, Administration (SIRVA) Respondent. Glen Howard Stertevant, Jr., Rawls Law Group, Richmond, VA, for petitioner. Ryan Daniel Pyles, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On May 8, 2018, 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 “debilitating pain and weakness, restricted range of motion, and adhesive capsulitis of her left shoulder and arm, which were caused-in-fact by the [influenza] vaccination” she received on September 27, 2016. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges that she received the vaccination alleged in the United States, suffered the residual effects of her injury for more than six months, and that neither she nor any other party has filed a civil action or received compensation for her injury, alleged as vaccine caused. Id. at ¶¶ 2, 20-22. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters. 1The undersigned intends to post this ruling on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website. 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from public access. Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, undersigned is required to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website in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). 2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. On April 25, 2019, 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 and Proffer at 1. Specifically, respondent indicates that he has “concluded that petitioner’s claim meets the Table criteria for SIRVA.” Id. at 3. 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