United States Court of Federal Claims, 2024

Hightower v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided October 10, 2024 · Brian H. Corcoran

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 23-1571V

WENDY HIGHTOWER, Chief Special Master Corcoran

Petitioner, Filed: September 4, 2024 v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent.

Jeffrey S. Pop, Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates, Beverly Hills, CA, for Petitioner. Michael Bliley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1

On September 12, 2023, Wendy Hightower (“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 “lump in her left shoulder diagnosed as an abscess/sebaceous cyst” which was caused-in-fact by a tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccination on August 19, 2022. Pet., ECF No. 1. Petitioner further alleges that she suffered the residual effects of her injury for more than six months. Id. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

On September 3, 2024, 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, ECF No. 23. Specifically, Respondent indicated that “[P]etitioner developed an abscess/sebaceous cyst on her left upper extremity, which was more likely than not caused by administration of a Tdap vaccine at the same location. No other causes for [P]etitioner’s non-specific mass have been identified.” Id. at 3. Respondent does not dispute that Petitioner “has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Act.” Id.

In view of Respondent’s position and the evidence of record, I find that Petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran Chief Special Master

1 Because this Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action taken in this case, it must be made publicly accessible and will be posted on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, and/or at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts/national/cofc, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2018) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). This means the Ruling will be available to anyone with access to the internet. 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, I agree that the identified material fits within this definition, I will redact such material from public access. 2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease of citation, all section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2018).

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