Amen v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 16-437V Filed: August 30, 2017 UNPUBLISHED

KELSI AMEN, Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint Petitioner, Stipulation on Damages; Influenza v. (Flu) Vaccine; Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Maximillian J. Muller, Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.

James George Bartolotto, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On April 6, 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 received an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on October 16, 2014, and a Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccination on November 18, 2013, and that she suffered Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) as a result of her October 16, 2014 influenza vaccination. Petition at 1; Stipulation, filed August 30, 2017, at ¶¶ 2, 4. Petitioner further alleges that she experienced residual effects of this injury for more than six months and that there has been no prior award of settlement of a civil action for damages on her behalf as a result of her condition. Petition at 3-4; Stipulation at ¶¶ 4-5. “Respondent denies that the influenza or Tdap vaccine, or any other vaccine, caused petitioner’s alleged GBS, or any other injury, and further denies that her current disabilities are a sequela of a vaccine-related injury. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6.

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website,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).

Nevertheless, on August 30, 2017, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation, the undersigned awards the following compensation: A lump sum of $170,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner.

Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Id. The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation.

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision. 3 IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey Chief Special Master

3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice renouncing the right to seek review.