Morales v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims·Decided October 5, 2020·No. 14-1186·Unpublished

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS Filed: September 15, 2020

* * * * * * * * * * * * * MIDLAND TRUST COMPANY, * Guardian of the property of * M.S.M., a minor, * UNPUBLISHED * Petitioner, * No. 14-1186V * v. * Special Master Gowen * SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Damages; Off-Table Injury; Diphtheria- AND HUMAN SERVICES, * Tetanus-acellular Pertussis (DTaP); * Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib); Respondent. * Inactivated Polio (IPV); Pneumococcal * Conjugate (PCV); Hepatitis B (Hep B); * Rotavirus; Febrile Status Epilepticus; * Encephalopathy; Challenge-Rechallenge; * * * * * * * * * * * * * Absence of SCN1A Mutation.

Renee J. Gentry, The Law Office of Renee J. Gentry, Washington, DC, for petitioner.1 Christine M. Becer, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON DAMAGES2

On December 10, 2014, a petition was filed on behalf of M.S.M., a minor, under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.3 Petition (ECF No. 1). On March 11, 2013, at approximately six months old, M.S.M. received vaccinations for diphtheria-tetanus-acellular

1 Ms. Gentry was substituted for attorney Cliff Shoemaker while this claim was in the damages phase. Petitioner’s Consented Motion to Substitute Attorney filed October 24, 2019 (ECF No. 142). 2 Pursuant to the E-Government Act of 2002, see 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012), because this opinion contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required to post it on the website of the United States Court of Federal Claims. The court’s website is at http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/aggregator/sources/7. This means the opinion will be available to anyone with access to the Internet. Before the opinion is posted on the court’s website, each party has 14 days to file a motion requesting redaction “of any information furnished by that party: (1) that is a trade secret or commercial or financial in substance and is privileged or confidential; or (2) that includes medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b). An objecting party must provide the court with a proposed redacted version of the opinion. Id. If neither party files a motion for redaction within 14 days, the opinion will be posted on the court’s website without any changes. Id.

3 The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755, codified as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to 34 (2012) (“Vaccine Act” or “the Act”). Hereinafter, individual section references will be to 42 U.S.C. § 300aa of the Act. pertussis (“DTaP”), haemophilus influenza type B (“Hib”); inactivated polio (“IPV”); pneumococcal conjugate (“PCV”); hepatitis B (“hep B”); and rotavirus. The petition and subsequent filings alleged that these vaccines caused an acquired epileptic encephalopathy. Petition; see also Petitioner’s (“Pet.”) Pre-Hearing Brief (ECF No. 82) at 19, 29; Pet. Post- Hearing Brief (ECF No. 123) at 55. Respondent recommended against compensation. Respondent’s Report filed February 26, 2016 (ECF No. 41). Each party submitted expert reports and an entitlement hearing was held on October 2 – 3, 2017. Transcript (ECF Nos. 118, 120). Following the submission of post-hearing briefs, I issued a ruling concluding that the petitioner, on behalf of M.S.M., was entitled to compensation based on a showing of causation-in-fact. Ruling on Entitlement filed July 30, 2019 (ECF No. 131).

Midland Trust Company (“petitioner”) has been appointed as the guardian of the property of M.S.M.’s estate and has been recognized in that capacity to be the petitioner in this claim. See Pet. Ex. 127, filed February 23, 2020 (ECF No. 148-2); Pet. Mot. to Amend Case Caption filed August 3, 2020 (ECF No. 161), granted by Order entered August 5, 2020 (ECF No. 164).

On September 14, 2020, respondent filed a proffer on an award of compensation, which indicates petitioner’s agreement to compensation on the terms set forth therein. Proffer (ECF No. 166). The proffer is attached hereto as Appendix A.

Consistent with the terms of the proffer, I hereby award the following compensation for all damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a):

A. A lump sum payment of $1,239,414.94, representing compensation for life care plan expenses in the first year after judgment ($57,776.86), lost future earnings ($931,638.08), and pain and suffering ($250,000.00), in the form of a check payable to Midland Trust Company, guardian of the property of M.S.M., a minor, for the benefit of M.S.M.

B. A lump sum payment of $32,036.18, representing compensation for satisfaction of an Amerigroup Community Care Medicaid lien, payable jointly to petitioner and Optum Subrogation Services, and mailed to:

Optum Subgrogation Services L-3994 Columbus, OH 43260-3994 Optum File #: SN11675627 Tax ID #: XX-XXXXXXX Attn: Veronica Butler

Petitioner agrees to endorse this payment to Optum Subrogation Services.

C. An amount sufficient to purchase the annuity contract, subject to the conditions described in the proffer.

2 Accordingly, the Clerk of Court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of the proffer and this decision.4

IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Thomas L. Gowen Thomas L. Gowen Special Master

4 Entry of judgment is expedited by each party’s filing notice renouncing the right to seek review. Vaccine Rule 11(a).

3 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS __________________________________________ ) MIDLAND TRUST COMPANY, ) Guardian of the property of ) M.S.M., a minor, ) ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) No. 14-1186V ) Special Master Gowen SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ) HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ) ) Respondent. ) __________________________________________)

RESPONDENT'S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

In his Ruling on Entitlement issued on July 30, 2019, Special Master Gowen found that a

preponderance of the evidence supported petitioner’s claim that the diphtheria-tetanus-acellular

pertussis, haemophilus influenza type B; inactivated polio; pneumococcal conjugate; hepatitis B;

and rotavirus vaccines administered to M.S.M. on March 11, 2013, and December 26, 2013,

caused an encephalopathy which is responsible for sequelae including her developmental delay

and continued seizure activity. See Ruling on Entitlement (Document 131, filed on July 30,

2019). Respondent now proffers the following regarding the amount of compensation to be

awarded. 1

I. Items of Compensation

1 The parties have no objection to the amount of the proffered award of damages. However, respondent reserves his right, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(f), to seek review of the special master’s July 30, 2019 ruling on entitlement, finding petitioner entitled to an award under the Vaccine Act. This right accrues following issuance of the damages decision.

-1- A. Life Care Items

The respondent engaged life care planner, M. Virginia Walton, M.S.N., RN, FNP, CLCP,

and petitioner engaged Nancy Bond, M.Ed., CCM, CLCP, to provide an estimation of M.S.M.’s

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

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Related

§ 300aa
42 U.S.C. § 300aa
§ 300aa-1
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-1
§ 300aa-12
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-12(f)
§ 300aa-15
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)
Purposes
44 U.S.C. § 3501
§ 300a
42 U.S.C. § 300a