Portee v. Secretary of Health and Human Services ( 2019 )


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  •          In the United States Court of Federal Claims
    OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
    No. 16-1552V
    (not to be published)
    MONICA PORTEE,
    Chief Special Master Corcoran
    Petitioner,
    v.                                                       Filed: November 8, 2019
    SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND                                  Special Processing Unit               (SPU);
    HUMAN SERVICES,                                          Attorney’s Fees and Costs
    Respondent.
    Shealene Priscilla Mancuso, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for Petitioner.
    Glenn Alexander MacLeod, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for
    Respondent.
    DECISION ON ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS1
    On November 21, 2016, 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 caused in fact
    by the influenza vaccination she received on October 8, 2015. (Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 11).
    On September 4, 2019, a decision was issued by then-Chief Special Master Dorsey,
    awarding compensation to Petitioner based on the Respondent’s proffer. (ECF No. 64).
    1 Although I have not designated this Decision for publication, it will be made available 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, 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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
    300aa (2012).
    Petitioner has now filed a motion for attorney’s fees and costs, dated October 24,
    2019, (ECF No. 68), requesting a total award of $24,033.85 (representing $23,019.20 in
    fees and $1,014.65 in costs). In accordance with General Order #9, counsel for
    Petitioner’s counsel represents Petitioner incurred no out-of-pocket expenses. (Id. at 2).
    Respondent reacted to the motion on November 4, 2019 indicating that he is satisfied
    that the statutory requirements for an award of attorney’s fees and costs are met in this
    case and defers to the Court’s discretion to determine the amount to be awarded. (ECF
    No. 69). By electronic correspondence on November 5, 2019, counsel for Petitioner
    notified the staff attorneys office that Petitioner did not intend to file a reply. See Informal
    Remark, November 6, 2019.
    I have reviewed the billing records submitted with Petitioner’s request. In my
    experience, the request appears reasonable, and I find no cause to reduce the requested
    hours or rates.
    The Vaccine Act permits an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. §
    15(e). Accordingly, I hereby GRANT Petitioner’s Motion for attorneys’ fees and costs. I
    award a total of $24,033.85 (representing $23,019.20 in attorney’s fees and $1,014.65 in
    costs) as a lump sum in the form of a check jointly payable to Petitioner and his/her
    counsel, Shealene Priscilla Mancuso, Esq. In the absence of a timely-filed motion for
    review (see Appendix B to the Rules of the Court), the Clerk shall 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), the parties may expedite entry of judgment by filing a joint notice
    renouncing their right to seek review.
    2
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 16-1552

Judges: Brian H. Corcoran

Filed Date: 12/27/2019

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 12/27/2019