Savage v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims
OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
No. 17-1036V
Filed: April 24, 2018
UNPUBLISHED
STEPHANIE C. SAVAGE,
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.
Nancy Routh Meyers, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, NC, for petitioner.
Justine Elizabeth Walters, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.
RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
On August 1, 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 from a shoulder injury related to vaccine
administration (“SIRVA”) as a result of receiving an influenza (“flu”) vaccine on January
16, 2017. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the
Office of Special Masters.
On April 24, 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 states that the Division of Injury Compensation Programs,
1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the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).
Department of Health and Human Services (“DICP”) “has reviewed the facts of this case
and concluded that petitioner’s claim meets the Table criteria for SIRVA.” Id. at 4.
Respondent further agrees that “the records show that the case was timely filed, that
the vaccine was received in the United States, and that petitioner satisfies the statutory
severity requirement by suffering the residual effects or complications of her injury for
more than six months after vaccine administration.” 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