United States Court of Federal Claims, 2013

Kristin Nikolajuk, by Her Next Friend, Michael Nikolajuk v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided September 6, 2013 · Special Master Millman

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 12-793V

Filed: September 6, 2013

Not for Publication

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KRISTIN NIKOLAJUK, by her next * friend, MICHAEL NIKOLAJUK, * Damages decision based on stipulation; * meningococcal vaccine; diphtheria-tetanus- Petitioners, * acellular pertussis vaccine; transverse * myelitis. * v. * *

SECRETARY OF HEALTH *

AND HUMAN SERVICES, * *

Respondent. * * *************************************

Scott W. Rooney, Farmington Hills, MI, for petitioners.

Gordon E. Shemin, Washington, DC, for respondent.

MILLMAN, Special Master

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

On September 6, 2013, the parties filed the attached stipulation in which they agreed to settle this case and described the settlement terms. Petitioners allege that Kristin suffered transverse myelitis (“TM”) that was caused by her August 22, 2011 receipt of meningococcal and diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccines. Petitioners further allege that Kristin suffered the residual effects of her injury for more than six months. Respondent denies that the vaccines caused Kristin’s TM or any other injury. Nonetheless, the parties agreed to resolve this matter informally.

The undersigned finds the terms of the stipulation to be reasonable. The court hereby adopts the parties’ said stipulation, attached hereto, and awards compensation in the amount and on the terms set forth therein. Pursuant to the stipulation, the court awards a lump sum of $150,000.00, representing compensation for all damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). The award shall be in the form of a check for $150,000.00 made payable to Michael Nikolajuk as the guardian/conservator of Kristin’s estate.

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment herewith.2

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 6, 2013 s/ Laura D. Millman Laura D. Millman Special Master

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the special master’s action in this case, the special master intends to post this unpublished decision on the United States Court of Federal Claims’s website, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-347, 116 Stat. 2899, 2913 (Dec. 17, 2002). Vaccine Rule 18(b) states that all decisions of the special masters will be made available to the public unless they contain trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is privileged and confidential, or medical or similar information whose disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. When such a decision is filed, petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to delete such information prior to the document’s disclosure. If the special master, upon review, agrees that the identified material fits within the banned categories listed above, the special master shall delete such material from public access. 2 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by each party, either separately or jointly, filing a notice renouncing the right to seek review.

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