United States Court of Federal Claims, 2017

Hough v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided August 8, 2017 · Thomas L. Gowen

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS Filed: July 12, 2017 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UNPUBLISHED ELIZABETH B. HOUGH, * * No. 15-1008V Petitioner, * v. * Special Master Gowen *

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Joint Stipulation; Influenza (“Flu”) AND HUMAN SERVICES, * Vaccination: Encephalitis. *

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

Richard Gage, Richard Gage, P.C., Cheyenne, WA, for petitioner.

Lisa A. Watts, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1 On September 11, 2015, Elizabeth B. Hough (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation pursuant to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-10 to 34 (2012).2 Petitioner alleges that as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination received on September 15, 2012, with residual effects lasting for more than six months.

On July 12, 2017, the parties filed a stipulation in which they state that a decision should be entered awarded compensation to petitioner. Joint Stipulation (ECF No. 43). Respondent denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner’s alleged encephalitis, or any other injury, and further denies that petitioner’s current disabilities are sequelae of a vaccine-related injury. Id. at ¶ 6. 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 stipulate that petitioner shall receive the following in compensation: 1) A lump sum of $50,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner Elizabeth B. Hough. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Joint Stipulation at ¶ 8.

The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation. Accordingly, the Clerk of the Court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of the parties’ stipulation.3

IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Thomas L. Gowen Thomas L. Gowen Special Master

1 Because this decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the website of the United States Court of Federal Claims, pursuant to the E-Government Act of 2002, see 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012). The court’s website is at http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/aggregator/sources/7. Before the decision is posted on the court’s website, each party has 14 days to file a motion requesting 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). “An objecting party must provide the court with a proposed redacted version of the decision.” Id. If neither party files a motion for redaction within 14 days, the decision will be posted on the court’s website. Id. 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 (2012) (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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