United States Court of Federal Claims, 2026

Bland v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided January 5, 2026 · Brian H. Corcoran

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 24-2080V

JAMES BLAND, III, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, Filed: December 3, 2025 v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

LeeAnne Pedrick, Mctlaw, Washington, D.C., for Petitioner.

Alyssa M. Petroff, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1 On December 18, 2024, James Bland, III 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 he suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome (“GBS”) after receiving an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on January 28, 2022. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

On July 9, 2025, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to compensation for his GBS. On December 3, 2025, Respondent filed a proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded $173,243.09, comprised of $172,500.00 for pain and suffering and $743.09 for past unreimbursable expenses. Proffer at 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.

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).

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump sum payment of $173,243.09, 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

JAMES BLAND, III, Petitioner, v. No. 24-2080V Chief Special Master Corcoran SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND ECF HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION On December 18, 2024, James Bland, III (“petitioner”), filed a petition for compensation (“Petition”) seeking compensation under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to 34, as amended (“Vaccine Act” or “Act”). Petitioner alleges that he suffered the Vaccine Injury Table (“Table”) injury of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) that developed within the Table timeframe following an influenza (“flu”) vaccine administered on January 28, 2022.1 Petition at 1. On July 1, 2025, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (“respondent”) filed a Rule 4(c) Report indicating that this case is appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act for a GBS Table injury, and on July 9, 2025, the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to compensation. ECF No. 16; ECF No. 17.

1 On February 1 and 22, 2022, petitioner received COVID-19 vaccinations. Ex. 2 at 353-54.

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).

I. Items of Compensation A. Pain and Suffering Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $172,500.00 in pain and suffering.

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.

B. Past Unreimbursable Expenses Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that he incurred past unreimbursable expenses related to his vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded past unreimbursable expenses in the amount of $743.09. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(1)(B).

Petitioner agrees.

These amounts represent all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees.

II. Form of the Award The parties recommend that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a lump sum payment, as described below, and request that the Chief Special Master’s decision and the Court’s judgment award the following 2 ,3:

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

3 The entry of judgment awarding the compensation described herein in a Decision of the Special Master, resolves any and all actions or causes of action (including agreements, judgments, claims, damages, loss of services, expenses and all demands of whateve r kind or nature) that have been brought, could have been brought, or hereafter could be timely brought against the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Court of Federal Claims, under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-10 et seq., (a) 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 that resulted from, or that may be alleged to have resulted from, the vaccinations identified herein, and (b) that petitioner has had, now has, or hereafter may have with respect to the injury that gave rise to the petition for vaccine compensation filed in the United States Court of Federal Claims as petition No. 24-2080V.

A lump sum payment of $173,243.09 to be paid through an ACH deposit to petitioner’s counsel’s IOLTA account for prompt disbursement to petitioner.

Respectfully submitted, BRETT A. SHUMATE Assistant Attorney General C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO Director Torts Branch, Civil Division HEATHER L. PEARLMAN Deputy Director Torts Branch, Civil Division VORIS E. JOHNSON, JR. Assistant Director Torts Branch, Civil Division /s/ Alyssa M. Petroff ALYSSA M. PETROFF 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) 307-3852 Email: [email protected] Date: December 3, 2025

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.