VICP Registry Case Source Bundle Canonical URL: https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-00332 Package ID: USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-00332 Petitioner: Carmen Gonzalez Filed: 2017-03-10 Decided: 2018-09-05 Vaccine: Hepatitis B Vaccination date: 2015-05-20 Condition: shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) Outcome: compensated Award amount USD: 114977 AI-assisted case summary: Carmen Gonzalez filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program alleging that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) due to a Hepatitis B vaccination received on May 20, 2015. The respondent conceded that Ms. Gonzalez's SIRVA was caused-in-fact by the vaccination and that she met all legal prerequisites for compensation. The court issued a ruling on entitlement based on this concession. Subsequently, the parties reached a proffer agreement for damages. The court awarded Ms. Gonzalez a total of $114,977.35. This amount included $109,586.83 for lost earnings and pain and suffering, payable directly to her, and $5,390.52 to satisfy a State of Illinois Medicaid lien, payable jointly to Ms. Gonzalez and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Ms. Gonzalez agreed to endorse the lien payment to the state agency. Theory of causation field: Off-Table Public staged source text: ================================================================================ DOCUMENT 1: USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-00332-0 Date issued/filed: 2018-08-29 Pages: 2 Docket text: PUBLIC ORDER/RULING (Originally filed: 04/25/2018) regarding 38 Ruling on Entitlement ( Signed by Chief Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey. )(mpj) Service on parties made. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Case 1:17-vv-00332-UNJ Document 49 Filed 08/29/18 Page 1 of 2 In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 17-0332V Filed: April 25, 2018 UNPUBLISHED CARMEN GONZALEZ, Special Processing Unit (SPU); Petitioner, Ruling on Entitlement; Concession; v. Causation-In-Fact; Hepatitis B (Hep B) Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent. John Robert Howie, Howie Law, PC, Dallas, TX, for petitioner. Robert Paul Coleman, III, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On March 10, 2017, petitioner 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”) due to a Hepatitis B vaccination received on May 20, 2015. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters. On April 25, 2018, respondent filed his Rule 4(c) report in which he concedes that petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report at 1. Specifically, respondent “agrees that petitioner’s SIRVA was caused-in-fact by the hepatitis B vaccination administered in her left arm on May 20, 2015. Id. at 2. 1 Because this unpublished ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned 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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2012). Case 1:17-vv-00332-UNJ Document 49 Filed 08/29/18 Page 2 of 2 Respondent further agrees that no other causes for petitioner’s SIRVA were identified, the statutory six month sequela requirement has been satisfied and, thus, “petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Act.” Id. In view of respondent’s position and the evidence of record, the undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to compensation. IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey Chief Special Master ================================================================================ DOCUMENT 2: USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-00332-1 Date issued/filed: 2018-09-05 Pages: 2 Docket text: PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 04/25/2018) regarding 39 DECISION Stipulation/Proffer ( Signed by Chief Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey. )(mpj) Service on parties made. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Case 1:17-vv-00332-UNJ Document 50 Filed 09/05/18 Page 1 of 2 In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 17-0332V Filed: April 25, 2018 UNPUBLISHED CARMEN GONZALEZ, Special Processing Unit (SPU); Damages Decision Based on Proffer; Petitioner, Hepatitis B (Hep B) Vaccine; v. Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent. John Robert Howie, Howie Law, PC, Dallas, TX, for petitioner. Robert Paul Coleman, III, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent. DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1 Dorsey, Chief Special Master: On March 10, 2017, petitioner 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”) due to a Hepatitis B vaccination received on May 20, 2015. Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters. On April 25, 2018, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner entitled to compensation for her SIRVA. On April 25, 2018, respondent filed a Rule 4(c) report including a proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating that petitioner should be awarded $109,586.83, representing compensation for lost earnings and pain and suffering, payable to petitioner; and $5,390.52, representing compensation for satisfaction of the State of Illinois Medicaid lien, payable jointly to petitioner and the 1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned 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 “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2012). Case 1:17-vv-00332-UNJ Document 50 Filed 09/05/18 Page 2 of 2 Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Proffer at 4. In the Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Based on the record as a whole, the undersigned finds that petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer. Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, the undersigned awards the following compensation: 1. A lump sum payment of $109,586.83 in the form of a check payable to petitioner, Carmen Gonzalez. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under § 300aa-15(a); and 2. A lump sum payment of $5,390.52, representing compensation for satisfaction of the State of Illinois Medicaid lien, payable jointly to petitioner and Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Attn: Kevin Thornton Bureau of Collections – Technical Recovery Section 201 South Grand Avenue East, Basement Springfield, Illinois 62763 Recipient name: Carmen Gonzalez Recipient ID: 188282438 Petitioner agrees to endorse this payment to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3 IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey 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. 2