Bernales v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 21-211V

ROBIN BERNALES, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, Filed: September 10, 2024 v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Leah V. Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for Petitioner.

Adam N. Muffett, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1 On January 7, 2021, Robin Bernales 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 a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) after receiving an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on October 29, 2020. Petition at 1; Stipulation, filed at September 9, 2024, ¶¶ 1-4. Petitioner further alleges she experienced the residual effects of this injury for more than six months and that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages on her behalf as a result of her condition. Stipulation at ¶¶ 4-5. “Respondent denies that petitioner sustained a SIRVA Table Injury, denies that petitioner’s alleged should injury was caused-in-fact by the flu vaccine, and denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner any other injury or her current condition. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6.

1 Because this Decision 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 Decision 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).

Nevertheless, on September 9, 2024, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. I find the stipulation reasonable and adopt it as my decision awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation, I award the following compensation: A lump sum of $42,500.00 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 Section 15(a). Id. I approve the requested amount for Petitioner’s compensation. In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3 IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran 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.

I:\ THE l':\lrn:n STATES COi RT OF FEI>EIUL n ...\l\lS OFFICE OF Sl'ECI.\L '1ASTF.RS

Pet itioner. \o . 2 1-2 11\ (H'F) \. Chief Speci;tl :'\la, ter ( ·on:n r,111 SI.CR!·. I ,\RY 0IIII :AL 111 ,\ :'J D I Wt\lAN Sl:RVICl:S.

Re spondent. ---------·------- - - - -

STIPULATION ·1he partie s hereby stipulate to the fo ll owing matters: 1. Robin Bernalcs. petitioner. filed a petition for ,accine compensation unJ,:r the National Vaccine Injury Compensation l'roi;ram. -l2 U.S.C. ~ .100aa-l0 Ill -3-l 1--\·acci1w Program .. ). ·1he petition seeks compensation for injuries alkgedly related tn pet iti,i nc·r·, r ·,·,·1pt of the inllucn1.a ( .. flu .. ) ,·accine. ,,hich vaccim: is contained in the Vaccine ln iur) I ,1blc

2. l'ctitiom:r rccei,ed the flu ,acc inatiun in hcr lei! slwuldc·r on ( lctllkr 2•>. 2tl:tl .

-l . l'ctitillncr alleges 1hat , hc , ulkrL·d a Shu11ldcr lnju n Rl'i .1ted t,, \ ' ,,cl· 111,· rc·s1d11,tl clkct, nl thi , 111jur~ f(lr lllllrL' th ;111 SI\ lll tl llt h,

L - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - l l l lllllilftl!''" <,. lfrspond cnt denies that pctitioncr su, tainL·d a SIR\',\ I able ln jur) . deni e, th ;1t peti ti1>ner ·s all q:nt slllluldcr injury \\ as cau seJ -i11 -l;1ct hy the llu \acc ine. and deni c, th.i t th c flu , accinc c1t1sL·J pctiti1H1er any oth er inj ur) 11r her curre nt conJitilln.

7. ~laintaining their ahoYe- statcd pnsi tinn ,. the parti es nen:rthele ss 1111\1 :1!:! rce th at th e issues hct\\ecn them sh:!1 1 he settkd . and that a dec ision shou ld he cnten:d a\\arJin !:! the w mpcnsati1111 described in paragra ph 8 !lfthi s Stipulation.

8. As s1Hlll as pract icable after an entry ofjud gment rellecting a deei,i,,n c1H1 , i,tcnt \\ ith the te rms of thi s St ipulation. and after petitioner has lilc<I an election l\1 recci1e compe n,atiu n pursuant to 42 l 1.S.C. ~ 300aa-2 I (a)( I ). the Secretary of I lea Ith and I luman Sen ice-;\\ ill i,, ue the following vaccine compensat ion payment : A lump sum of S42,500.00 in the form of a check payable hi petiti nner. I hi~ amount represents compensati on for all damages that would he ,l\;iilahle under -12 l l.S.C. ~ 300aa-15(a).

9. As soon as practicable a tkr the entr) of judgment on ent itlement in thi,- ca,c .• ind .1fk·r petiti oner has filed both a proper and timel ) election 1,, recci,c wmpens.1tion pur,u.mt 1,, -12 l '.S.C. ~ 300aa-2 l( a )( I ). anJ an application. the part ies \1 ill submit Ill further l'r,,ccedin g, h,:t~irc the spl·cial master to award reasonable att!lrncy ft.:L'S and e1lsls inL·urrL·d in pni,x~·ding up,,n thi, petition .

11 1'.1) mcnt ma,k p11r,ua111 tu par,1i-:raph X of thi , :--t1pul.1ti1111 . .ind a111 a111<11I11h ,1 11 ,1r,b l pur,u.mt tP p.1r.1f!_ r,1ph q ,1fthi , Stipulatiun. 11ill h,: madc in .tl'l'11nLi11 c,: 11ith -1 2 I .\ .( • ~ ~1111.1.1- l ~(i l. , uhiL'd t11 th,: a1ailahilit) nf ~ulfo:i,:11t , tatut11r) fumk 12. 1lw parti,:, ,md thcir att11rnc) ~ l'i1rthL·r agrce and , tipulatc th at. L'\ccpt li,r ;111) a11<1rd tiir attorno.:1 Ice, ;ind li(i gatinn o.:osts. and past umeimhursahk c,pcn ~c,. thc 11w11c~ pn11 id cd pur~uant to thi s Stipulation 11 ill he us,:d sokl) for thc hcnclit of po.:titioncr. a~ co 11 to.: 1nplatcd h) ;1 strict Clll1St ruction of -12 l 'SC. ~ :rnoaa-1 :>(a) and ( d ). ,rnd , uhj o.:c t to the con di tio n~ or -12 l • S C ~ 3(Hlaa-l 5(g) and (h).

13. 111 return for thl' payments cle~cribo.:d in paragraph s 8 an<l ') . pc tit ioncr. 111 hL·r indi,idual capaci ty and on bchalfofho.:r heirs. executors. admini strators. succc ,sor<, or c1., ,ign,. docs forc11:r irrcYocab ly and unconditionall y rclea.-;c. acquit and di scharge th c l 'nited Statc, and the Secretary of I lcalth and I luman Scrl'icc s from any and all act ion s. causes 1, f c1ctll>ll t incl uding agreements. j udgments. clai ms. damages. loss of service,. expenses and al I dcm and~ , 1f 11 h.1tc1 cr kind or natun.:) that ha1·e been hrought. co ul<l have hccn bro ught. or co uld he tim e!) hr,,u!,!ht 111 the Court of Federal Claims. under the National Vaccine lnjur) Compcnsa tion l' r11gr.1n1. -I~ l/.S.C. ~ JOOaa- 10. el ,·c:11 . 011 account of. or in any "ay gnm ing out of. an~ and .ti I \.-11111111 ,,r unkno1111. suspcctcd nr unsuspcctcd personal inj11rics to or Je;1th pf pctitiuncr rcstiltill !,! fr,1111 . ,,r allcged to ha1e rc sultc<l from. thc llu 1acc ine administcrL·d 1111 l,r ahuut Oct,,hLT ~•>. :1)~11. , h all eged h) pcti tionl'r in a petition ror 1accinc c,H1111L·11 , .1tio11 tiled ,111 J,11111:11 1 - . ~11 ~ I . 111 the· nitcd Statc, ( ·011 rt o f Fcdcral ( ·la in1 , ;1s petiti, 1n '\,1 ~ 1-2 11 \ ' 1-1 11 pL'l itirn1e r , IH>uld die priPr IP c·I1111 ,11 iud f! nlc'lll. th 1, ,l f!lc'c· 111c·11t , Ii.il l k 1,>1d.il,k upon pro pcr 11<1tIcc t11 th e Cn11rt 11 11 hch; d(,>I cith,·1 lll h111h u l. thc p.11t1 c·, , , . lfthc ('hil'l'\rccial :---1a, tLT !ail s l<l iss lll' ,I dcl'1 , i11n 1n CPlllp ktL' l11nfPrJJlll \ ,1i th lh L· tn111 , lll th1 , \ti1'ulatu1n. or ii'the Cuurt Pi' I cderal l'lainh ldil , 111 enler jt1d!,'. lll L'nl in cu11l111m1t1 ,,ith ,t dec i~ il1n that i~ in C\llllpkte Cllnli1r111it: ,,ith thL' 11:mts <li'thi , Stipul.111, ,11. the n tlt L· parl11.:-' 'L'ttk111cnt and thi ~ StipulatiPn shall he 1Pidahlc at the sPk di ~crctiPn lll L' il hc r part: 1/l. I hi, Stipulation o.pressc~ a l'ldl and c<lmplcte ncgotiated ~ettlcm cnl ll!' li ahi hl: dill.I damagcs clai111ed under the l\ ational Childlwod Vacci ne ln_jur) At: t Pi' l 1JXf1 . .1s alllL'Jllkd . e,..:crt as othcn1 i~c not..:d in paragraph<) aho, e. I here i~ ahsolutcl) no agrecmcnt tll t the part Pi' th e parties hcretn to make any payment or to do an) at:t or thin g otlH.: r than is hcn.: in e,prL·ss l; stated and ckarl) agreed to . f'he parties further agree and understand that the a11ard de ,crihcd in this stipulatinn ma: retkct a eo111promise of the parties· respccti, e position s as tn li ahilit; and or amnunt of damage s. and further. that a change in the nature of the injur:, <ir wmlitiPn "r in thc item s of cumpcn satinn sought. is not grounds to modify or rc1i se thi s agrccment.

17. f'hi s Stipulation shall not he construed as an admission hy thc l 'nited State~ llr thc Secret.tr) of I lea Ith and I luman Scrl'ices that the llu ,·accine eaused petitin ner·, allq!cd slwulder 111,1ur; or any other injury.

18 . Al l ri ght s and obligations of petitioner hereunder shall appl: cqu,111: tl> pct itiPnL·r·, heirs. executors. admini strators. suecessors. and/or assigns.

END OF STll'llL\TION

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