United States Court of Federal Claims, 2025

Porter v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided September 8, 2025 · Brian H. Corcoran

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 24-1583V

KEEVIA PORTER, Chief Special Master Corcoran

Petitioner, v. Filed: July 10, 2025 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent.

Katrina Sandifer Brown, Brown Bass & Jeter, PLLC, Jackson, MS, for Petitioner.

Jay Travis Williamson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

On October 4, 2024, Keevia Porter 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 alleged that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as the result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination received on October 9, 2023. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

On May 8, 2025, a Ruling on Entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to compensation for SIRVA corresponding to a listing on the Vaccine Injury Table, see 42 C.F.R. §§ 100.3(a), (c)(10)).

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).

On July 10, 2025, Respondent filed the attached joint stipulation.3, 4 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 a lump sum of $58,457.13 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.

The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.5 IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran Chief Special Master

3 Usually, a proffer is filed by Respondent if the parties have reached an informal agreement regarding the appropriate amount of compensation to be awarded after an entitlement determination. However, in a minority of cases, the parties may choose to file a joint stipulation instead, reflecting more of a compromise regarding the compensation to be awarded. 4 In attaching the parties’ joint stipulation, I have omitted the last page – a VineSign form that includes personal information regarding Petitioner. 5 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 KEEVlA PORTER,

Petitioner, No. 24-1583V

Chief Special Master Corcoran V. ECF SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent.

STIPULATION

The parties hereby stipulate to the following matters:

I. Keevia Porter, petitioner, filed a petition for vaccine compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-10 to -34 (the "Vaccine Program"). The petition seeks compensation for injuries allegedly related to petitioner's receipt of an influenza ("flu") vaccine, which is a vaccine contained in the Vaccine Injury Table (the "Table"), 42 C.F.R. § L00.3 (a).

2. Petitioner received the flu vaccine on October 9, 2023 .1 3. The vaccination was administered within the United States.

4. Petitioner sustained a left shoulder injury related to vaccination administration

1 On October 9, 2023, petitioner received a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines against COVID-19 are not contained in the Vaccine Injury Table. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-14 and 42 C.F.R. § 100.3(a). Pursuant to the declaration issued by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 247d-6d, 247d-6e), claims for alleged injuries from COVID-19 countermeasures, including vaccines, may be compensable under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program ("CICP"). See 85 Fed. Reg. 15198, 15202 (March 17, 2020).

Case-law data current through September 30, 2026. Source: CourtListener bulk data.