Calzado v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 24-1466V

DANIEL BEHAR CALZADO, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, v. Filed: April 30, 2025 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Alison Haskins, Siri & Glimstad, LLP, Aventura, FL, for Petitioner.

Rachelle Bishop, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1 On September 19, 2024, Daniel Behar Calzado 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 January 8, 2024 human papillomavirus (“HPV”) vaccination caused him to suffer a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”). Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

On March 31, 2025, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to compensation. On April 29, 2025, Respondent filed a proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded a total of $57,930.00, consisting of $57,500.00, in pain and suffering and $430.00, in past unreimbursable expenses. Proffer at 1-2. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees 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.

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.

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).

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump sum payment of $57,930.00 (consisting of $57,500.00, in pain and suffering and $430.00, in past unreimbursable 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

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.

,17+(81,7('67$7(6&28572))('(5$/&/$,06 2)),&(2)63(&,$/0$67(56 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB   '$1,(/%(+$5&$/=$'2    3HWLWLRQHU     1R9 (&)         &KLHI6SHFLDO0DVWHU%ULDQ+&RUFRUDQ   Y             6(&5(7$5<2)+($/7+     $1'+80$16(59,&(6     5HVSRQGHQW  BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB   5(6321'(17¶6352))(521$:$5'2)&203(16$7,21  2Q6HSWHPEHU 'DQLHO%HKDU&DO]DGR ³SHWLWLRQHU´ ILOHGDSHWLWLRQIRU FRPSHQVDWLRQXQGHUWKH1DWLRQDO&KLOGKRRG9DFFLQH,QMXU\$FWRI 86&††DD WR ³9DFFLQH$FW´RU³$FW´ DOOHJLQJWKDWKHVXIIHUHGD6KRXOGHU,QMXU\5HODWHGWR9DFFLQH $GPLQLVWUDWLRQDVGHILQHGLQWKH9DFFLQH,QMXU\7DEOHIROORZLQJDGPLQLVWUDWLRQRIDKXPDQ SDSLOORPDYLUXVYDFFLQDWLRQWKDWKHUHFHLYHGRQ-DQXDU\3HWLWLRQ2Q0DUFK WKH6HFUHWDU\RI+HDOWKDQG+XPDQ6HUYLFHV ³UHVSRQGHQW´ ILOHGD5XOH F 5HSRUW UHFRPPHQGLQJWKDWSHWLWLRQHUEHIRXQGHQWLWOHGWRFRPSHQVDWLRQ(&)1R/DWHUWKDWGD\ WKH&KLHI6SHFLDO0DVWHULVVXHGD5XOLQJRQ(QWLWOHPHQWILQGLQJSHWLWLRQHUHQWLWOHGWR FRPSHQVDWLRQ(&)1R , ,WHPVRI&RPSHQVDWLRQ $ 3DLQDQG6XIIHULQJ 5HVSRQGHQWSURIIHUVWKDWSHWLWLRQHUVKRXOGEHDZDUGHGLQSDLQDQGVXIIHULQJ 6HH86&†DD D  3HWLWLRQHUDJUHHV % 3DVW8QUHLPEXUVDEOH([SHQVHV (YLGHQFHVXSSOLHGE\SHWLWLRQHUGRFXPHQWVWKDWKHLQFXUUHGSDVWXQUHLPEXUVDEOHH[SHQVHV UHODWHGWRKLVYDFFLQHUHODWHGLQMXU\5HVSRQGHQWSURIIHUVWKDWSHWLWLRQHUVKRXOGEHDZDUGHGSDVW XQUHLPEXUVDEOHH[SHQVHVLQWKHDPRXQWRI6HH86&†DD D  %  3HWLWLRQHUDJUHHV 7KHVHDPRXQWVUHSUHVHQWDOOHOHPHQWVRIFRPSHQVDWLRQWRZKLFKSHWLWLRQHULVHQWLWOHG XQGHU86&†DD D 3HWLWLRQHUDJUHHV ,, )RUPRIWKH$ZDUG 3HWLWLRQHULVDFRPSHWHQWDGXOW(YLGHQFHRIJXDUGLDQVKLSLVQRWUHTXLUHGLQWKLVFDVH 5HVSRQGHQWUHFRPPHQGVWKDWWKHFRPSHQVDWLRQSURYLGHGWRSHWLWLRQHUVKRXOGEHPDGHWKURXJKD OXPSVXPSD\PHQWDVGHVFULEHGEHORZDQGUHTXHVWVWKDWWKH&KLHI6SHFLDO0DVWHU¶VGHFLVLRQDQG WKH&RXUW¶VMXGJPHQWDZDUGWKHIROORZLQJ DOXPSVXPSD\PHQWRI WREHSDLG WKURXJKDQ$&+GHSRVLWWRSHWLWLRQHU¶VFRXQVHO,2/7$DFFRXQWIRUSURPSWGLVEXUVHPHQWWR SHWLWLRQHU 5HVSHFWIXOO\VXEPLWWHG  <$$.290527+ $FWLQJ$VVLVWDQW$WWRUQH\*HQHUDO  &6$/9$725('¶$/(66,2 'LUHFWRU 7RUWV%UDQFK&LYLO'LYLVLRQ  +($7+(5/3($5/0$1 'HSXW\'LUHFWRU 7RUWV%UDQFK&LYLO'LYLVLRQ      6KRXOGSHWLWLRQHUGLHSULRUWRHQWU\RIMXGJPHQWWKHSDUWLHVUHVHUYHWKHULJKWWRPRYHWKH&RXUW IRUDSSURSULDWHUHOLHI,QSDUWLFXODUUHVSRQGHQWZRXOGRSSRVHDQ\DZDUGIRUIXWXUH XQUHLPEXUVHGH[SHQVHVIXWXUHORVWHDUQLQJVDQGIXWXUHSDLQDQGVXIIHULQJ   -8/,$0&2//,621       $VVLVWDQW'LUHFWRU 7RUWV%UDQFK&LYLO'LYLVLRQ  V5DFKHOOH3%LVKRS        5$&+(//(3%,6+23       7ULDO$WWRUQH\       7RUWV%UDQFK&LYLO'LYLVLRQ       86'HSDUWPHQWRI-XVWLFH       32%R[       %HQMDPLQ)UDQNOLQ6WDWLRQ       :DVKLQJWRQ'&               5DFKHOOH3%LVKRS#XVGRMJRY '$7(' $SULO