Lerwick v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Lerwick v. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Read the opinion of the Court — 119 Fed. Cl. 745
United States Court of Federal Claims·Decided September 8, 2014·No. 1:06-vv-00847·Unpublished

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

********************* SHERRY LERWICK, legal * representative of a minor child, * No. 06-847V B.L., * Special Master Christian J. Moran * Petitioner, * Filed: August 15, 2014 * v. * Damages; decision based on proffer; * diphtheria-tetanus- acellular pertussis; SECRETARY OF HEALTH * (“DTaP”); acute disseminated AND HUMAN SERVICES, * encephalomyelitis (“ADEM”). * Respondent. * ********************* Curtis Webb, Twin Falls, ID, for petitioner; Darryl R. Wishard, United States Dep’t of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

UNPUBLISHED DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

On December 12, 2006, Sherry Lerwick filed a petition on behalf of her child, B.L., seeking compensation the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. § 300aa—10 through 34 (2006). In her petition, Ms. Lerwick alleged that the diphtheria-tetanus- acellular pertussis (“DTaP”) vaccination caused B.L. to suffer acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (“ADEM”) and Sandifer’s syndrome. Ms. Lerwick was found entitled to compensation under the Vaccine Act. Ruling, 2011 WL 4537874 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Sept. 8, 2011).

1 The E-Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-347, 116 Stat. 2899, 2913 (Dec. 17, 2002), requires that the Court post this decision on its website. Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 18(b), the parties have 14 days to file a motion proposing redaction of medical information or other information described in 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(d)(4). Any redactions ordered by the special master will appear in the document posted on the website. A hearing was held in September 2013, to resolve the parties’ disputed damages including B.L.’s attendant care needs. Ms. Lerwick was awarded interim compensation for her undisputed unreimbursed medical expenses through August 30, 2013 and pain and suffering. Decision, 2014 WL 643708 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Jan. 23, 2014). The undersigned later ruled on B.L.’s disputed attendant care needs and the parties were ordered to incorporate the ruling into a proffer for the purpose of awarding Ms. Lerwick’s compensation. Ruling, 2014 WL 3720309 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. June 30, 2014).

On August 14, 2014, respondent filed a Proffer on Award of Compensation, to which petitioner agrees. Based upon the record as a whole, the special master finds the proffer reasonable and that petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer. Pursuant to the Proffer, with Tab A, attached hereto as “Appendix A,” the court awards petitioner:

A. A lump sum payment of $988,480.53, representing compensation for life care expenses expected to be incurred during the first year after judgment ($293,290.44) and lost future earnings ($695,190.09), in the form of a check payable to petitioner as guardian/conservator of B.L., for the benefit B.L. No payments shall be made until petitioner provides respondent with documentation establishing that she has been appointed as the guardian/conservator of B.L.’s estate. If petitioner is not authorized by a court of competent jurisdiction to serve as guardian/conservator of the estate of B.L., any such payment shall be made to the party or parties appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction to serve as guardian/conservator of the estate of B.L. upon submission of written documentation of such appointment to the Secretary, and

B. A lump sum payment of $29,448.76, representing compensation for additional past unreimbursable expenses, in the form of a check payable to petitioner, Sherry Lerwick.

C. A lump sum payment of $92,007.21, representing compensation for satisfaction of the State of California Medicaid lien, payable jointly to petitioner and Petitioner agrees to endorse this payment to the State of California.

2 D. An amount sufficient to purchase an annuity contract, 2 subject to the conditions described below, that will provide payments for the life care items contained in the life care plan, as illustrated by the chart at Tab A, attached hereto, paid to the life insurance company3 from which the annuity will be purchased. 4 Compensation for Year Two (beginning on the first anniversary of the date of judgment) and all subsequent years shall be provided through respondent’s purchase of an annuity, which annuity shall make payments directly to petitioner (or any other party who is appointed) as guardian/conservator of the estate of B.L., only so long as B.L. is alive at the time a particular payment is due. At the Secretary’s sole discretion, the periodic payments may be provided to petitioner in monthly, quarterly, annual or other installments. The “annual amounts” set forth in the chart at Tab A describe only the total yearly sum to be paid to petitioner and do not require that the payment be made in one annual installment.

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment herewith.

Any questions may be directed to my law clerk, Mary Holmes, at (202) 357- 6353.

2 In respondent’s discretion, respondent may purchase one or more annuity contracts from one or more life insurance companies. 3 The Life Insurance Company must have a minimum of $250,000,000 capital and surplus, exclusive of any mandatory security valuation reserve. The Life Insurance Company must have one of the following ratings from two of the following rating organizations:

a. A.M. Best Company: A++, A+, A+g, A+p, A+r, or A+s; b. Moody's Investor Service Claims Paying Rating: Aa3, Aa2, Aa1, or Aaa; c. Standard and Poor's Corporation Insurer Claims-Paying Ability Rating: AA-, AA, AA+, or AAA; d. Fitch Credit Rating Company, Insurance Company Claims Paying Ability Rating: AA-, AA, AA+, or AAA.

5 Petitioner authorizes the disclosure of certain documents filed by the petitioner in this case consistent with the Privacy Act and the routine uses described in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program System of Records, No. 09-15-0056.

3 IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Christian J. Moran Christian J. Moran Special Master

4 Case 1:06-vv-00847-UNJ Document 247 Filed 08/14/14 Page 1 of 6

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS _______________________________________ ) SHERRY LERWICK, legal representative ) of a minor child, B.L. ) ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) No. 06-847V ECF ) Special Master Moran SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ) SERVICES, ) ) Respondent. ) )

RESPONDENT'S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

I. Items of Compensation

A. Life Care Items

Respondent engaged life care planner Laura Fox, MSN, RN, CNCLP, and petitioner

engaged Helen Woodard, M.A. and Amy Weaver, M.A., to provide an estimation of B.L.’s

future vaccine-injury related needs. For the purposes of this proffer, the term “vaccine related”

is as described in the Special Master’s Ruling on Entitlement, filed September 8, 2011. All items

of compensation either identified in the life care plan, or otherwise ordered after adjudication of

several contested items of compensation by the Special Master in his Published Ruling

Regarding Compensation, filed June 30, 2014, are illustrated by the chart entitled Appendix A:

Items of Compensation for B.L., attached hereto at Tab A. 1 Respondent proffers that B.L.

should be awarded all items of compensation set forth in the life care plan or otherwise ordered

by the Special Master and illustrated by the chart attached at Tab A. Petitioner agrees.

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Related

§ 300aa
42 U.S.C. § 300aa
§ 300aa-12
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(d)(4)
§ 300aa-15
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(3)(B)
§ 300a
42 U.S.C. § 300a