Long v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 23-0912V

DENA LONG, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, v. Filed: September 22, 2025 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

David Charles Richards, Christensen & Jensen, P.C., Salt Lake City, UT, for Petitioner.

Michael Bliley, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1 On June 15, 2023, Dena Long filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.2 (the “Vaccine Act”). The petition seeks compensation for injuries allegedly related to Petitioner’s receipt of a tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine, which vaccine is listed in the Vaccine Injury Table (the “Table”), 42 C.F.R. § 100.3(a), on June 16, 2021. Petitioner alleges that she sustained a Table shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) within the time period set forth in the Table following administration of the vaccine. Petitioner further alleges that she experienced residual effects of this condition for more than six months.

Respondent denies that Petitioner sustained a Table SIRVA injury; denies that the Tdap vaccine caused Petitioner’s alleged SIRVA or any other injury; and denies that Petitioner’s current condition is a sequela of a vaccine-related injury.

Nevertheless, on September 22, 2025, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, 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 $22,000.00 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.3 IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran Chief Special Master

IN TJI E VN ITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS OFI<JCF: Of SPEC IAL MASTERS

DENA LONC.

Petiti oner. \I . No. 23-912\/ Chief' Specia l Master Corcoran SECRET ARY OF IIEALTI I /\ND fCI-' HUM/\N SERVICES.

Respondent.

STIP ULATION 'J'hc pm ti cs hereby stipu late to the fo lio\\ ing matters: I. Dena Long ('"ix.!i ti1)11cr'·) lilcd a pet ition !'or , nccinc compensation under the National Vaccine lnjur) Compensation Program. -1-2 LI.S.C. ~ 300aa- IO to 34 (the "Vaccine Program··). ·1he pet ition seeks ctlln pcnsu tion for inju ri es ulkged ly rclat1.:d to pet i tioner·!:> rece ipt or a tetan us. di phtheria. and ace l lulnr-pcrtussis ("Tdap .. ) ,ncc inc. \\hich is contained in the Vacci ne I nj ury T able (the "Table·"). 42 C.F. R. ~ I 00.3(a) .

2. Petitioner 1·ece i,·ed a Tdap , ucci nation on .lune 16. 202 1.

3. The T cl ap \'accine ,,as adm inistered" ithi n the Un i ted Stales.

4. Petitioner alleges that she susta ined a Table shoulder in_jur~ n.~lated to ,·aecinc adm inistration ("S IRVA .. )\\ ithin the time period set lorth in the l'able 1·011 0,, ing aclrninistrntion of'the vacci ne. J)etitioner rurthcr alleges that she experienced the residual effects of thi s cond iti on for more than six months.

5. Pct itioner represe nts that there has been Ill) prior a 1, ard or sell lcrnent ot' a ci vi I r action l'or damages on her bcha l as a result ol' her co11cl it ion .

6. Respondent den ies that pct itio ner sus1ai11ecl a SIR VA T able injury; denies that the Tdap \cH;c ine caused pct itionc r" s alleged S IRVA. o r any oth er inju ry : and den ies that petiti oner's current condition is a scq L11.:lac or a vacc im;-n; lated in_j ur).

7. I\ l:1intain ing thcir abo,-c-sta tcd positio ns. the parties ne\'erthclcss now agree that the issues lK't I\ ccn lliclll slw II be scll led iilld that a dee is io n shou lei be entered a\\ arc! i ng the compc11sution described i 11 paragraph 8 ul' thi s Stipu lation.

8. .t \s snon as prncticahlc aner an entry o l'_jL1dg:111c11t relketing a dec isio n consistent ,,ith the term s ol' thi :-, Stipulation . and af'tcr pi.!Litiorn:r has likd an ek1.:1ion lo rece ive cornpen -,ation pursuant to ..J.2 ll.S.C. *300:w-2 I (a)( I ). the Scc rclar~ t) I' I kalth and I luman

Scrvke::, \\ ill issue the l'o llol\ ing vacci ne coinpcn sati1111 IXI) mcnl : ,\ lu1 11 p Slll11 or s22.ooo.oo. tu be p.iid thrnug h an /\ ( 11 !.k:po'i it to petitioner's counsel '::, IOLT:\ .1ccnum 1·o r prompt disburse1rn.:1il tt>petitiunc r. Thi s U1lHH1n1 n.:prc'>cnts compensation l'or all dam age~ th.it \\t.rnld he ,1, ,1il:ihlc under ..J.2 U.S.C.

9. /\ s soon as p1·acticahlc a l'tn the entry oi'j udg rnc lll tlll entitlcrncllt in thi s case. and :1 lh.:r pct it ion er has lilcd both a proper and Ii me I) c lcct ion to rccci , e cornpcnsat ion pursuant to U.S.C. ~ 300aa-2 I (a)( I ). and an appl ica tion. the part ies,, i l l submit to rurth cr proceed ings bcl'orc tli c specia l master to tl\\ard reasonable at1o n11.:ys· lees and cos ts inc urred in proceed ing upon thi s petition .

I 0. Pctitioncr and hl.!r utlorncy rcprcscn t that w rnpcns:11 ion to be provided pursuant to th is St i pulal io11 is not fc.i r :in: itcms o r sc n ices l'or ,, h ich th e Program is not pri rnari ly I iable under ..J.:2 LJ.S.C. § 300aa- I 5(g). to the extent that JXl: mcnt has been made or cun reasonably be ex pec ted to be rnndc under any State compensat io n prng rarn s. insurance po l icies. Federal or State health benefits programs (other than Title XIX of th e Social Securit) /\cl (-+2 L .S.C. § 1396 cl seq.)). or b) entities thm pro v ide health scr\'i ccs on a pre-paid basis.

11. Payment made pursuant to paragraph 8 and any amounts awarded pursuant lo paragraph 9 of thi s Stipu lation\\ ill be made in accordance,, ith -+2 U.S.C. ~ 100aa-l 5(i). subject lo the availability of sufficient statutory runds.

12. The parties and their attorneys rurther agree and st ipulatt: that. <:::xc1.:pl !'or an) award for auorne)s" Ices. and li tigation costs. and past unrcimbu rsable expenses. the mtlllC) provided pursuant to thi s Stipulati on ,,,ill be used sole ly for the benefit ol'pctit ioncr as contemplated b) a stri ct construct ion of' 4~ l l.S.C. ~ .100aa-15(a) nnd (cl). and sub_jcct to the condition s o r 42 U.S.C. *300an- l 5(g) and (h).

13. In return for the payments described in paragraphs 8 and 9. petitioner. in her indi, idua l capaci ty and on beha ff 0 1· her heirs. c:xccutors. administrators. successors or assigns. docs forever irrevocab ly and unconditional I) release. acqui t and disch8rge the United St8tes and the Sccrctrn') t)l' l lc8 1th 811d I luman Ser\'iccs rrom an) and all actions or causcs or action (inc I ud i ng agreements. .i udgmcnts. claims. damages. lnss or :-icn ices. c:--. pcnscs and u 11 clcrna ncls or whatever k incl or natun.:) that huvc been brought. could ha, c been brought. or could bc timely br0Ltght in the Court o r Federal C laim!). under the Nat ional Vacci ne Injury Compensation Program. 42 U.S.C. ~ J00aa- 10 ct seq .. on account o r. or in an) \\t1) grc)\\ i ng ou t oi'. any and all known or unkno\\ n. suspcctcd or unsu~pccted personal injuries to or c.kath or petit ioner resulting from. or allcgccl to have resulted from. Tclap, accinat ion adm inistered on June 16. 2021 . as alleged by petitioner in 8 petition fo r , 8ccinc co111pcnsatio11 li lccl on n r 8bout .lune 15. 2023. i11 the United States Court or Federa l Claims as petition No. 23-9 I 2V.

14. Ir·pcLiLi o11cr shou ld d ie prior to cn tr) ol'judg1rn:n1. this agreement shall be vo idable upon proper not icc to the Courl on bcha l r of either or both or the part ies.

15. l f' thc spcl.'.inl 111-1:,tcr l~1 i b tu b:--ul.' a dec ision in rn mplete coni'o rrn ity \\ ith the ter111s ol'th is St ipulation or ii' the Court or I:cdcrnl C laims fa il s 10 ente r judgment in conlo rmity ,, itl1 a lkci..,iu11 that is in co1npktc conrorn1it) ,, i th the tt:rrns of' thi s Stipu lat io n. then the parties· seule111c11t and this StipLilation :-ha ll hl', t>idable m the so k discretion or ei ther part).

16. This St ipLilation expresses .i 1·u 11 .ind complete negoti ated settlement ul' liabi l ity and damages c laimed under the N m ionnl Chi ldhood Vacc ine lnjur:, 1\..:1 or 1986. as a1r 1e11ded. except as other" ise noted in parag raph 9 alX) \ e. I ht:rc is abso lutely no ugrecm cnL o n the part or the parties heretl) to 111akc an: payment or lo do an:, act or thing o ther than is here in expressly stati.:d nnd ckn1 I:- agreed to. 1'1 1c parti es further agn.:c and undcrsta•1d that the ,mard described in this ~t ipu lation ma: rcl'lccl a cl1n1promisc of thi.: part ies· resp1xti, c position~ a<; tu liability and/or ,11110uI1t oi' damage!-. and f'tm l1cr. thut u change in the I1awre l) r 1hc injur> ur condition or in th e items of compensa ti on snug.ht. is 1101 grnunds Lo mod i I':- or revise lhi :- agrccn1-:11l.

17. Th is St ipu l,1tio n shal l no l be constru ed as an admissio n by the U ni ted States o r the Sccrcl<ll') nr I li.:,1 lth and I lu111u11 Sen ices that th e Tdup q 1cci nc caused petiti oner's alleged SIR V /\. or ;111:, other injury or peliliuncr·, current cond i ti o n. or that pelitione1· suffered an injury co nwincd in the Vaccine ln_jur~ I able.

18. /\ II rig hts and obi igat ions of' pcti t ili11e 1· hcrcundcr shn 11 nppl) cqua l ly to pctitiom:r ·s hci rs. executors. adm in istrators. successors. and/o r assig ns.

END 0 1: S'I IPUL/\TION

,I Respectfully subm itted.

PETITIONER:

ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE PETITIONER: OF THF: ATTORNEY GE~ERAL:

l ll~J\TI 11 -:1< I .. Pl::/\ l<Uvl/\ N hristensen & Jensen. P.C. Deput) Director East 200 outh rort s 8ranch Suite 1100 Ci,·il Di, ision Salt Lake City. UT 84 1I I U.S. ncpartmcnt of' .l ust ice (80 I) 323-5000 P.O. IJox 146 David. I<ichards ·ct chri sjen.com lkn_jarnin Frank li n Station 'v\/ ashi ngton. DC 200-1--1--0 1-1-6 AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR OF THE SECRETARY OF IIEALT II RESPONDENT: AND HUMA~ SERVICF.S: Jeffrey s. f t !~'C~gned by Jeffrey Beach -5 Date; 2025.08.05 13:59:37 ------· -04•00· for CA PT GEORCE Rl:.: ED GRIMES. MD. MPI I MICI 1/\E I. S. 81,lLLY Director rria l J\llornc) Di vision or Injury Compensat ion Program~ Torts 13raneh I lcallh Systems Bureau Ci, ii Di, ision I lealth Resource and Sen ices /\dmin istrntion U.S. Department or .lu~ticc U.S. Department o r· Health and I lurnan Scrvic<.:s P.O. l:3ox 146 5600 Fishers Lane. 08W-25A Benjamin hanklin Station Rockv ille. MD 20857 Washington. DC 200-1--1--0 1-16 (202) 616-435 7 l\ lidiael. 13lik, t1 usdnj.~1,

Dated: