Phillips v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims·Decided June 16, 2016·No. 15-115·Unpublished

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 15-0115V Filed: May 23, 2016 Unpublished

**************************** ADELE PHILLIPS, * * Petitioner, * Damages Decision Based on Proffer; v. * Influenza (“flu”) Vaccine; Shoulder * Injury Related to Vaccine Administration SECRETARY OF HEALTH * (“SIRVA”); Complex Regional Pain AND HUMAN SERVICES, * Syndrome (“CRPS”); Special * Processing Unit (“SPU”) Respondent. * * **************************** Brian L. Cinelli, Marcus & Cinelli, LLP, Williamsville, NY, for petitioner. Alexis B. Babcock, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

On February 4, 2015, Adele Phillips (“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 alleged that as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccination on August 13, 2013, she suffered from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (“CRPS”). Petition at 1. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit (“SPU”) of the Office of Special Masters.

On August 19, 2015, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding petitioner entitled to compensation for a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”), with sequelae of CRPS. On May 20, 2016, respondent filed a proffer on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating petitioner should be awarded $192,439.12 for actual and projected pain and suffering; $9,617.91 to satisfy a State of New York Medicaid lien; and an amount sufficient to purchase an annuity contract as described in Proffer 1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website,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.

2National 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). Section II.C. Proffer at 1-5. 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.

(A) A lump sum payment of $225,554.28, representing compensation for life care expenses expected to be incurred during the first year after judgment ($33,115.16) and pain and suffering ($192,439.12), in the form of a check payable to petitioner, Adele Phillips.

(B) A lump sum payment of $9,617.91, representing compensation for satisfaction of the State of New York Medicaid lien, payable jointly to petitioner and

New York State Department of Health P.O. Box 415874 Boston, MA 02241-5874 Attn: Ms. Bianca Bostice Medicaid ID#: BA11400Q Recovery Case #: 174330

Petitioner agrees to endorse this payment to the State of New York.

(C) An amount sufficient to purchase the annuity contract described in the Proffer Section II.C.

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 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS _______________________________________ ADELE PHILLIPS, ) ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) No. 15-115V ) Chief Special Master Dorsey SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ) ECF SERVICES, ) ) Respondent. ) )

RESPONDENT'S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

I. Items of Compensation

A. Life Care Items

Respondent engaged life care planner Linda Curtis, RN, MS, CCM, CNLCP, and

petitioner engaged Alan C. Winship, MS, Ed, CRC, D-ABVE, CLCP, to provide an estimation

of Adele Phillips’s future vaccine-injury related needs. For the purposes of this proffer, the term

“vaccine related” is as described in the respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report, filed July 1, 2015. All

items of compensation identified in the life care plan are supported by the evidence, and are

illustrated by the chart entitled Appendix A: Items of Compensation for Adele Phillips, attached

hereto as Tab A. 1 Respondent proffers that Adele Phillips should be awarded all items of

compensation set forth in the life care plan and illustrated by the chart attached at Tab A.

Petitioner agrees.

1 The chart at Tab A illustrates the annual benefits provided by the life care plan. The annual benefit years run from the date of judgment up to the first anniversary of the date of judgment, and every year thereafter up to the anniversary of the date of judgment.

-1- B. Lost Earnings

The parties agree that based upon the evidence of record, Adele Phillips has not suffered

a past loss of earnings and will not suffer a loss of earnings in the future. Therefore, respondent

proffers that Adele Phillips should not be awarded lost earnings as provided under the Vaccine

Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(3)(A). Petitioner agrees.

C. Pain and Suffering

Respondent proffers that Adele Phillips should be awarded $192,439.12 in actual and

projected pain and suffering. This amount reflects that any award for projected pain and

suffering has been reduced to net present value. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner

agrees.

D. Past Unreimbursable Expenses

Petitioner represents that she has not incurred past unreimbursable expenses related to her

vaccine-related injury.

E. Medicaid Lien

Respondent proffers that Adele Phillips should be awarded funds to satisfy the State of

New York lien in the amount of $9,617.91, which represents full satisfaction of any right of

subrogation, assignment, claim, lien, or cause of action the State of New York may have against

any individual as a result of any Medicaid payments the State of New York has made to or on

behalf of Adele Phillips from the date of her eligibility for benefits through the date of judgment

in this case as a result of her vaccine-related injury suffered on or about August 13, 2013, under

Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

-2- II. Form of the Award

The parties recommend that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made

through a combination of lump sum payments and future annuity payments as described below,

and request that the Special Master’s decision and the Court’s judgment award the following: 2

A.

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Related

§ 300aa
42 U.S.C. § 300aa
§ 300aa-10
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-10
§ 300aa-15
42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(3)(A)
Purposes
44 U.S.C. § 3501
§ 300a
42 U.S.C. § 300a