United States Court of Federal Claims, 2015

Pearce v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided September 4, 2015 · Nora Beth Dorsey

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 14-670V

Filed: August 11, 2015

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UNPUBLISHED LARRY SCOTT PEARCE, *

Petitioner, * Special Master Dorsey

v. *

* Joint Stipulation on Damages; SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; AND HUMAN SERVICES, * Neurological Demyelinating Injury;

* Transverse Myelitis. Respondent. *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ronald Craig Homer, Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan, P.C., Boston, MA, for petitioner. Alexis B. Babcock, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION1

On July 29, 2014, Larry Scott Pearce (“petitioner”), filed a petition pursuant to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.2 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2006). Petitioner alleged that as a result of receiving the influenza (flu) vaccination on September 21, 2011, he suffered a neurological demyelinating injury, specifically transverse myelitis. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleged that he suffered the residual effects or complications of his vaccine injury for more than six months. Id. at 17. On August 11, 2015, the parties filed a stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation.

Respondent denies that petitioner’s transverse myelitis was caused in fact by his influenza vaccination, and denies that the vaccine caused any other injury or his current condition. Nevertheless, the parties agree to the joint stipulation, attached hereto as Appendix A. The undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

The parties stipulated that petitioner shall receive the following compensation: A lump sum of $360,000.00, in the form of a check payable to petitioner. This amount represent compensation for all items of damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300-aa-15(a).

Stipulation ¶ 8.

The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation. Accordingly, an award should be made consistent with the stipulation.

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of the parties’ stipulation.3

IT IS SO ORDERED. s/ Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey Special Master

1 Because this decision contains a reasoned explanation for the undersigned’s action in this case, the undersigned intends to post this ruling on the website of the United States Court of Federal Claims, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-347, § 205, 116 Stat. 2899, 2913 (codified as amended at 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2006)). As provided by Vaccine Rule 18(b), each party has 14 days within which to request redaction “of any information furnished by that party: (1) that is a trade secret or commercial or financial in substance and is privileged or confidential; or (2) that includes medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b). 2 The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755, codified as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2006) (Vaccine Act or the Act). All citations in this decision to individual sections of the Vaccine Act are to 42 U.S.C.A. § 300aa. 3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment is expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice renouncing the right to seek review.

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