Tailor v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 22-1820V

SHEELA TAILOR, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, Filed: May 6, 2025 v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Kelly Elizabeth Elder, Martin & Jones, PLLC, Raleigh, NC, for Petitioner.

Mallori Browne Openchowski, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1 On December 13, 2022, Sheela Tailor 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”) following a Tdap vaccine she received on January 15, 2021.

Petition at 1; Stipulation, filed at May 5, 2025, ¶¶ 2, 4. Petitioner further alleges that she has suffered the residual effects of her vaccine-related injury for more than six months.

Petition at ¶ 12; Stipulation at ¶ 4. “Respondent denies that Petitioner suffered the onset of her alleged SIRVA within the Table timeframe; denies that the Tdap vaccine caused Petitioner’s alleged shoulder injury or any other injury and further denies that her current disabilities are a sequela of a vaccine-related injury.” Stipulation at ¶ 6.

Nevertheless, on May 5, 2025, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, 3 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 $65,000.00, to be paid through an ACH deposit to Petitioner’s counsel’s IOLTA account for prompt disbursement 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. 4 IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran Chief Special Master

The filed Stipulation included an electronic signature page that has been removed from the attached to protect the confidential information of the signers.

Docusign Envelope ID: 469O3417 -674B-4 729-ACF5-88A67DEE0C2E

IN THE UNITED ST ATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

SHEELA TAILOR, Petitioner, No. 22- l 820V Chief Special Master Corcoran V. SPU SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES , Respondent.

STJPULATION The pa11ies hereby stipulate to the following matters: 1. Petitioner, Sheela Tailor, filed a petition for vaccine compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program , 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-l Oto 34 (the "Vaccine Program"). The petition seeks compensation for injuries allegedly related to petitioner' s receipt of the Tetanus- diphtheria-acellular pertussis ("Tdap") vaccine, which vaccine is contained in the Vaccine Injury Table (the "Table"), 42 C.F.R. § 100.3 (a).

2. Petitioner received a Tdap vaccine on or about January 15 , 2021.

3. The vaccine was administered within the United States.

4. Petitioner alleges that she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration ("SIRVA") as a consequence of the Tdap immunization she received on or about January 15 , 2021, and further alleges that she suffered the residual effects of this injury for more than six months .

5. Petitioner represents that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages on her behalf as a result of her condition.

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11. Payment made pursuant to paragraph 8 of this Stipu lation and any amounts awarded pursuant to paragraph 9 will be made in accordance with 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-l 5(i), subject to the availability of sufficient statutory funds.

12. The parties and their attorneys fu1ther agree and stipu late that, except for any award for attorneys' fees and litigation costs , and past unreimbursable expenses , the money provided pursuant to this St ipul ation wi ll be used so lely for the benefit of petitioner as contemplated by a strict construction of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-l 5(a) and (d) , and subject to the conditions of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa- l 5(g) and (h).

13. In return for the payments described in paragraphs 8 and 9, petitioner, in her individual capacity, and on behalf of her heirs, executors , admin istrators , successors, and assigns, does forever irrevocably and unconditionally re lease, acquit and discharge the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services from any and all actions or causes of action (inc luding agreements, judgments, claims, damages, loss of serv ices, expenses and all demands of whatever kind or nature) that have been brought, cou ld have been brought, or cou ld be timely brought in the United States Cou1t of Federal Claims, under the National Vacc ine [njury Compensation Program , U.S.C. § 300aa- l 0 et seq., on account of, or in any way growing out of, any and all known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected personal injuries to or death of petitioner resu lting from, or all eged to have resulted from, the Tdap vaccination administered on or about January 15 , 2021, as alleged by petitioner in a petition for vaccine compensation filed on or about December 13 , 2022, in the United States Co u1t of Federa l Claims as petition No. 22- l 820V.

14. If petitioner should die prior to entry of judgment, this agreement shal l be voidab le upon proper notice to the Court on behalf of either or both of the parties.

Page 3 of 5 Docus ign Envelope ID 469D3417 -674 8 -4 729-ACF5-88A67DEE0C2E

15. If the spec ial mas ter fa il s to iss ue a dec ision in compl ete confo rmity with th e term s of thi s Stipulati on or if the United States Cou1i of Federa l Claim s fa ils to enter judgment in confo rmity with a deci sion that is in complete co nfo rmi ty with the terms of th is Sti pul ation, then the parties' settlement and thi s St ipulati on shall be vo idabl e at the so le di screti on of eithe r paiiy .

16. This Stipul ati on ex presses a full and co mplete negot iated settl ement of li ability and da mages claimed under the Nati onal Childhood Vacc ine Inj ury Act of 1986, as amended, except as otherwise noted in paragraph 9 above. There is abso lute ly no ag reement on the part of the parti es hereto to make any payme nt or do any act or th ing other than is herein express ly stated and clearl y agreed to . The paiiies fu rther agree and understand that the award described in thi s St ipul at ion may refl ect a compromi se of the patiies' respect ive pos iti ons as to li abili ty and/or amount of damages, and furth er, that a change in th e nature of the injury or conditi on or in the items of co mpensati on so ught, is not gro unds to modi fy or rev ise thi s agree ment.

17. Thi s Sti pulation shall not be construed as an adm iss ion by the United States or the Sec retary of Hea lth and Hum an Services that the Td ap vacc ine caused petitioner's alleged shoulder injury or any other injury or any of her current di sabilities.

18. All ri ghts and obli gati ons of petiti oner hereund er shall appl y equall y to petiti oner's heirs, exec utors, admini strators, successors, and/or ass igns.

END OF STIPULATION

Page 4 of 5 Docusign Envelope ID : 46903417 -67 4B-4 729-ACF5 -88A67DEE0C2E

Respectfully submitted,

PETITIONER:

SHEELA TAILOR

ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE PETITI 1 R· OF THE ATTORl'\IEY GENERAL:

HEATHER L. PEARLMAN MARTIN & JONES PLLC Deputy Director 4140 Parklake Avenue, Suite 400 Torts Branch Ralei gh, NC 27612 Civil Division Tel: (919) 821-0005 U.S. Department of Justice kee@m-j .co m P.O. Box 146 Benjamin Franklin Station Washington , DC 20044-0146

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND RESPONDENT: HUMAN SERVICES: Jeffreys. ~i~~:~l~~;gn ed byJeffrey ,}-{.~ f3Cp-tVl~fi-i Bea Ch -S Date: 2025.04.29 10:54:58 for -04'oo· ~ ~~ L - P < ~ CAPT GEORGE REED GRIMES , MD, MPH MALLORI B. OPENCHOWSKI Director, Division of Injury Trial Attorney Compensation Programs Torts Branch, Civil Division Health Systems Bureau U.S. Department of Justice Health Resources and Services P.O. Box 146 Administration Benjamin Franklin Station U.S. Department of Health Washington, D.C. 20044-0146 and Human Services Tel: (202) 305-0660 5600 Fishers Lane, 08W-25A mal lori. [email protected] Rockville, MD 20857

Dated : Q.S I o.s lun.s

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