Woodland v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 23-1532V

CLIFFORD WOODLAND, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, Filed: April 8, 2024 v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Scott B. Taylor, Urban & Taylor, S.C., Milwaukee, WI, for Petitioner.

Austin Joel Egan, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1 On September 6, 2023, Clifford Woodland 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 he suffered a right shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”), a defined Table injury, or in the alternative a caused-in-fact injury, after receiving an influenza (“flu”) vaccine on April 14, 2022. Petition at 1, ¶¶ 2, 22, 26-27. Petitioner further alleges he received the vaccine within the United States, that he suffered the residual effects of his injury for more than six months, and that neither he nor any other party has filed a civil action or received compensation for his injury. Petition at ¶¶ 2, 23, 28. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

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).

On April 8, 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.

Specifically, Respondent “has concluded that [P]etitioner’s alleged injury is consistent with SIRVA as defined by the Vaccine Injury Table.” Id. at 4 Respondent further states that “based on the records as it now stands, [P]etitioner 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