Corban v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 23-349V

JOSEPHINE CORBAN, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, Filed: April 8, 2025 v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Ronald Craig Homer, Conway, Homer, P.C., Boston, MA, for Petitioner.

Emily Hanson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1 On March 10, 2023, Josephine Corban 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 Table injury – Guillain-Barré syndrome (“GBS”) as a result of the administration of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on October 22, 2020. Petition at 1; Amended Petition, filed May 24, 2024, at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

On January 8, 2025, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to compensation for GBS. On April 8, 2025, Respondent filed a proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded a lump sum of $145,087.18, for all damages, including $145,000.00 representative of pain and suffering, and $87.18 representative of unreimbursable out-of-pocket medical and related expenses. Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees 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). with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump sum payment of $145,087.18 (representing $145,000.00 for pain and suffering and $87.18 for unreimbursed expenses) to be paid through an ACH deposit to Petitioner’s counsel’s IOLTA account for prompt disbursement to Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under Section 15(a).

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.

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS ___________________________________ ) JOSEPHINE CORBAN, ) ) Petitioner, ) No. 23-349V ECF ) v. ) Chief Special Master Corcoran ) SECRETARY OF HEALTH ) AND HUMAN SERVICES, ) ) Respondent. ) ___________________________________ ) PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION 1 I. Procedural History On March 10, 2023, Josephine Corban (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation (“petition”) under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to - 34, as amended. She alleges that, as a result of receiving the influenza vaccine on October 22, 2020, she suffered from Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). See Petition. On January 6, 2025, respondent filed his Vaccine Rule 4(c) report, concluding that petitioner suffered GBS as defined by the Vaccine Injury Table, within the Table timeframe. On January 8, 2025, Chief Special Master Corcoran issued a ruling on entitlement, finding that petitioner is entitled to compensation for a GBS Table injury.

II. Items of Compensation Based upon the evidence of record, respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded a lump sum of $145,087.18, for all damages, including $145,000.00 representative of pain and

This Proffer does not include attorneys’ fees and costs, which the parties intend to address after the Damages Decision is issued. suffering, and $87.18 representative of unreimbursable out-of-pocket medical and related expenses. This amount represents all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

III. Form of the Award Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a lump sum payment, as described below, and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision and the Court’s judgment award the following: A lump sum payment of $145,087.18 to be paid through an ACH deposit to petitioner’s counsel’s IOLTA account for prompt disbursement to petitioner.2 Petitioner agrees.

Respectfully submitted, YAAKOV M. ROTH Acting Assistant Attorney General C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO Acting Director Torts Branch, Civil Division HEATHER L. PEARLMAN Deputy Director Torts Branch, Civil Division GABRIELLE M. FIELDING Assistant Director Torts Branch, Civil Division

Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, respondent would oppose any award for future medical expenses, future lost earnings, and future pain and suffering, and the parties reserve the right to move the Court for appropriate relief.

s/ EMILY M. HANSON EMILY M. HANSON Trial Attorney Torts Branch, Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice P.O. Box 146 Benjamin Franklin Station Washington, D.C. 20044-0146 Tel: (202) 430-4802 [email protected] Dated: April 8, 2025