Ballard v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 24-2019V

BETTY BALLARD, Chief Special Master Corcoran Petitioner, v. Filed: August 7, 2026 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 STIPULATION1

On December 9, 2024, Betty Ballard 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 an influenza (“flu”) vaccine, which vaccine is listed in the Vaccine Injury Table (the “Table”), 42 C.F.R. § 100.3(a). Petitioner received the flu vaccine on or about October 18, 2022. Petitioner alleges that she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”), a Table injury, as a consequence of the flu immunization she received on or about October 18, 2022, and further alleges that she suffered the residual effects of this injury for more than six months.

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).

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

Nevertheless, on August 6, 2026, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation3 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 $100,000.00 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

3 In attaching the parties’ joint stipulation, I have omitted one page – a DocuSign form that includes personal information regarding Petitioner.

4 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.

Docuslgn Envelope ID: 071 ACF3E-BA51-87BB-814E-20EE 1FBE7C16 l;\' THE U~ ITED STATES COU RT OF FEDERAL CLA IMS OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

OETTY BALLARD.

Peti tioner, No. 24-20 19V C hier·special Master Corcoran V. SPU SECRETARY OF II EALTI I A D

I I UMAN SE R V IC ES.

Respondent.

STIP U L A TI ON The parties hereby stipu late to the following matters: I. Petit ioner, Betty Ba ll ard. til ed:, petition !'o r vaccine compensation under the Nationa l Vaccine I nj ury Compensation Progrnrn. 42 U.S.C. § 300aa- I O to 34 (the "Vacci ne Program''). The petition seeks compensat ion ror injuries al legedl y related to petit ioner's receipt or the inf1ue111.a ("llu") vaccine, w hich vaccine is conta ined in the Vacc ine Injury T able (the "Table"), 42 C. F.R. * 100.3 (a).

2. l'ctitioncr received a llu vacc ine on or about October 18. 2022.

3. The vaccine was admini stered within the U nited State~.

4. Petitioner alleges ihat she ~ufTcri.:d a Shoulder Inj ury Related to Vaccine Ad111 i11istrnt ion ("Sl R VA"). a Tabl e inj ury. as a consequence or th e nu i111111uni1.a ti on she received on or about October 18. 2022. and f't1rth cr alleges th at she suffered the res idual effects or thi s inj ury for more than six rnonth s.

5. Pet itioner repr~scnts that th ere has been no pri or awa rd or settlement of a c iv il action fo r damages on her bchal f ns a result of he1· cond ition .

Page I o r 5 Docusign Envelope ID: 071 ACF3E-BA51-87BB-814E-20EE1 FBE7C16

6. Respondent denies that peti ti oner sustained a SIR VA Table injury: den ies that th e vm:c.: ine caused petiti o ner' s alleged shoul der injury. or any other inj ury: and denies that her current condi ti o n i s a seq uel a or a vucc ini.:-rclated i nj ury.

7. Maintain ing their abMe-stat cd pos i ti ons. the parties nevertheless now agree th at th e issues between them shall be seu lcd and that a cl ec isio n should be cntenx l aw arding th e co mpensat ion descri bed in paragraph 8 o r th is St ipulati on.

8. As soon as pr,1cticable after an entry of judg ment reilecting a decbion consi stent w i th th e term s o r this Stipu lat ion. and alkr petit ioner has li lcd an clct: tion to rece i ve compensation purs uant to 42 U .S.C. § 300aa-2 I (a)( I ). the Secretary o f· Health and Human Services wi ll issue the l'o l low ing vacc ine compensa ti on pay ment:

A lum p sum o r $ 100,000.00 to be paid throu gh an AC I I dcpl>si t to petit ioner 's counse l 's IO I.T A m:count fo r prompt clislrnrscrn ent to petit ioner.

Th is ,1111o unt rcprcscllls compensati on for all d,1111agcs that would be avuilc1 bk under 42 U.S.C. *300aa- I 5(a).

9. As soon as practi cab le al'tcr the entry o f'j udg ment o n c11titl c111cnt in this ca:-.c, ancl af'tcr petit ioner has fi led bo th a proper and tim ely electio n l o recei ve compensati on pursuallt 10 42 U.S.C. *300aa-2 I (a)( I), and an application, t he pa nics \\' il l subm it to rurthcr proceed ings before th e specia l master to awn rd reasonable attorneys' fees and costs incurred in procee ding upon thi s petition .

10. Petitioner nncl her attorney rep ri.:sent that they have icl cnti lied to respondent al l known sources o r paym ent for i tems or services for w hich th e Program is not prirnarily liable under 42 U.S .C. § 300an- l 5(g). inc luding State compensa tion progrnms. insurance polic ies. Federal o r Sta te health benefits program s (other than Tit le X I X o r the Soc ial Security Ac t (42 U .S.C. § 1396 ct seq.)). or enti ties th at prov ide hea lth servi ces on a prepaid basi s.

Page 2 or 5 Docusign Envelope ID: 071ACF3E-6A51-8766-814 E-20EE 1FBE7C16

11. Pnyment nrnde p urs u,mt to paragraph 8 o r this Stipul ation and any amounts aw arded pursuant to paragraph 9 w ill be made in acc.:01·dance w ith 42 U.S.C. § 300aa- l 5( i), subject to th e ava ilabi li ty or surricicnt sta tutory f'unJs.

12. The pcirt ics :rncl th eir ci ttorncys f'urthcr agree and stipu late that, except l'o r nny aw ard for attorn eys' fees and litigation co~ts. and unreimbursed expenses, th e money prov ided pu rsuant to this Stip ulation w ill be used solely l'o r th e benc f'i t o f petitioner as eontelllplated by a strict construction o f 42 U .S.C. *300aa- I 5(a) anti (cl), and subject to th e conditions of' 42 U.S.C. * 300aci- I 5(g) and (h ).

13. In retLIrn for the p..iyrnent described in paragraphs 8 and 9, pet iti oner, in her individual capac ity. and on beha l f ol' her hei rs, executors. administra tors, stIcccssors, and assigns, docs forever i rrC\'OCably and uncondi t iona I ly rel ease, ucqu it and d ischargc the U nitccl Stales and th e Secretary of I lealth and I IL1n1r111 Services from any and all actions or cm1scs o r action (i nc luding agreements, j udg111L:nts, c laim s, damages, loss o r ser v ices, expenses and all demands o i' w hatever kind 0 1· nature) that have been brought, could have been bro ught, or could be ti mely broug ht in th e Un i ted States Coun of' Federal C laims. under the Nat ional Vacc ine Inj ury Compensation Program.

42 U.S.C. *300aa- 10 ct seq .. on account or, or in any way grow ing out o r. any and al l known or unknown, su~pcc tcd or unsu~pected personal injuries to or death o l' petit ioner res ult ing l'ro m, or alleged to have resul ted fro m. the flu vacc ination adm inistered on or about October 18. 2022, as al leged by petit ioner in a peti tion for vaccine compensation fi led on or about Dec.:e 1nber 9, 2024. in the United Stcites Court o r Fcdernl Claims as petition No. 24-201 9\/ .

14. I f peti tioner should die prior to entry or judgment, this agreem ent shal l be voidable upon p roper notice to the Court on beha l r o f either or both o f the parties.

Docusign Envelope ID; 071ACF3E-BA51-87BB-814E-20EE1 FBE7C16

I 5. I f I he spec ial master fo i Is to issue a decis ion in comp Ietc con form i l y wi th the terms o f' thi s Stipulat ion or i f the U ni ted States Court of Federal C laims fail s to enter judgment in confo rmity with a dec ision that is in comp lete conformity w ith th e terms o f thi s Stipul ation, then the parties' sett lement and this St ipulat ion shall be voidab le al the sole d i scretion o f either pa rty.

16. Th is Sti pulation expresses a f'u ll and compl ete negotiated se ttl emen t or liability and damages clai med under th e N ational C hildhood V:1ccine Injury /\ct o f' 1986, as a111e11cled. except as otherwise noted in paragraph 9 above. T here is absolute ly no agreement on the p,1rt of the purties hereto to mukc any pa y ment or do any act or thing other than is herein expressl y staled and clearly agreed to. The parties further ag ree and understand that the award described in this Stipulation may re fl ect a <.:ompro misc or the par ti es' res pecti ve pos itions as to liabi lity and/or arnoL111I or damages, nnd fi.1rthcr, that n clwngc in the natun.: or the injury o r cond i ti on or in the items o r compensation sought, is not grounds 10 modi ry o r rev ise th is agreem ent.

17. Thi s Stipul ation shal l not be construed as an nd111issio11 by the Un i ted States or th e Sccrcuiry or I lcalth nnd I luman Scl'\·iccs thnt the flll vacc ine ca used petitioner's nllcgcd shoulder injury o r an y other injury or any or her cur n.:nt disabil iti t:s, or thul she suffered a Table inj ury.

18. A ll ri ghts and obl igati ons o r petiti oner hereunder sha ll apply equally to petit ioner's hei rs. execu tors, adm in istrators, successors. and/or assigns.

EN D OF ST IPU LAT IO N

Docusign Envelope ID: 07·tACF3E-BA51-87BB-814E-20EE1FBE7C16

Rcspcctl\1lly submitted.

PETITI ONE R:

BF.TTY l:3ALL A RD

ATTOR:'-IEV Of- RECO RD fOR AUTHORIZED REPR ESENTATIV E OF TU E ATTO RNEY GENERAL: p~ , M o ~ ~ e ·• t . ~ KELYELDER HE/\THCR L. PEARLMAN MARTIN & JO NES PLLC Deputy Director 4140 Pa rklakc Avenue. Suite 400 Torts Brnnch Raleigh. NC 276 12 Civ il Di v ision Tel: (9 19) 82 1-0005 U.S. Dcpt1 rtm c11t or .l ustit:c kccu1,111-j .co111 J)_(), Bl)X 146 Bcnjrnnin r-nmk lin Stntion Washington, DC 20044-0 146

AUTI-IORIZl::D REPRESE 'TATIVE Of ATTORN II Y OF RECOR D FOR TH E SEC RETARY OF II EALTII AND RES PONDE:\T: II UM.AN SERV ICES:

Geo rge R. Grimes - Dig,tally s,gnetlby George n. \.H. ~ ~ qz..tl" ~t1e--'\ Grimes S16 s16 Date: 2026.07.3009:25: I I 0'1'00' ~~~L-P~ CA PT GEO RGE REf:D GRI MES. MD, MPI I MALLORI 13. OPF.1 Cl IOWSKI Di rector. Division or Injury T rial A ttorn ey Compc11sntio11 Program s Torts Branch, Civil Division Health Systems Bureau U.S. Departm ent of Justice Health Resources and Scrviccs P.O. 13ox 146 Admin istra tion Benjamin Frankl in Station U.S. Dc1x1rtment or Health Washington, D.C. 20044-0 146 and 1-1 urnan Scrviccs Tel: (202) 305-0(160 5600 f'i shers Lane, 14 W- 18 111<1l lnri.b.oprnchn,,•:-k iw u~dnj -6\lW Rockvi lle. MD 20857

Odocusign Certificate Of Completion

Envelope Id: 071ACF3E-BA51 -87BB-814E-20EE1 FBE7C16 Status: Completed Subject: Complete with Docuslgn: Ballard 24-2019 Stipulation.8.3.2026.pdf

Source Envelope:

Document Pages: 5 Signatures: 1 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 3 Initials: O Corinne Humphries AutoNav: Enabled 4140 Parklake Avenue, Suite 400 Envelopeld Stamping: Enabled Raleigh, NC 27612 Time Zone: (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) [email protected] IP Address: 4.18.206.122 Record Tracking

Status: Original Holder: Corinne Humphries Location: DocuSign 8/4/2026 7:55:13 AM [email protected]

Signer Events Signature Timestamp Betty Ballard Sent: 8/4/2026 7:55:51 AM [email protected] Viewed: 8/4/2026 9:32:11 AM Security Level: Email, Account Authentication Signed: 8/4/2026 9:33:35 AM (None)

Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address:

2603:6081 :5801 :7f06:7c85:8494:5cf8:161 c

Eloctronlc Rocord and Signature Dlsc losuro:

Accepted: 8/4/2026 9:32:11 AM

ID: 4ab4cf1e-c332-41 cc-af7f-c44aa8d94e00

In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Tlmestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Tlmestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Tlmestamp Witness Events Signature Tlmestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 8/4/2026 7:55:5 1 AM Gerti fied Delivered Security Checked 8/4/2026 9:32: 11 AM Signing Complete Security Checked 8/4/2026 9:33:35 AM Completed Security Checked 8/4/2026 9:33:35 AM Payment Events Status Timestamps Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that today, August 6, 2026, a copy of the foregoing pleading was served by electronic mail to Kelly Elder at [email protected].

s/ Mallori B. Openchowski