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Ruppenthal v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 13-183V. (2019)

Court: United States Court of Federal Claims Number: infdco20190710614 Visitors: 2
Filed: Jun. 04, 2019
Latest Update: Jun. 04, 2019
Summary: UNPUBLISHED DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1 NORA BETH DORSEY , Chief Special Master . On March 11, 2013, Haytor Vega and Lucia Martinez filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ("the Program") 2 on behalf of their minor son, D.V.M. 3 Mr. Vega and Ms. Martinez alleged that the D.V.M. suffered an acute encephalopathy within seventy-two hours of receiving a diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis ("DTaP") vaccine on March 12, 2010. Petition at 1,
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UNPUBLISHED

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

On March 11, 2013, Haytor Vega and Lucia Martinez filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ("the Program")2 on behalf of their minor son, D.V.M.3 Mr. Vega and Ms. Martinez alleged that the D.V.M. suffered an acute encephalopathy within seventy-two hours of receiving a diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis ("DTaP") vaccine on March 12, 2010. Petition at 1, 4-5. On April 21, 2017, the undersigned issued a decision finding that petitioner was entitled to compensation.

On November 29, 2018, respondent filed a Proffer on Award of Compensation ("Proffer").4 In the Proffer, respondent represented that petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Proffer at 1-2. 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 petitioner:

(1) A lump sum payment of $250,000.00, representing compensation for pain and suffering in the form of a check made payable to petitioner. (2) A lump sum payment in the amount of $168,506.00, representing compensation for life care plan expenses for the first year and partial expenses for 2051, in the form of a check payable to Counsel Trust Company for the benefit of the D.V.M. Reversionary Trust. (3) A lump sum payment of $48,741.08, representing compensation for the past State of Georgia Medicaid lien, made payable to the Georgia Department of Community Health, 900 Circle 75 Parkway SE, Suite 650, Atlanta, GA 30339, ATTN: Yvette Dimmons.5 (4) An amount sufficient to purchase the annuity contract described in section II.D of the Proffer. (5) An amount sufficient to purchase the annuity contract described in section II.E of the Proffer.

Proffer at 3-5.

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the Clerk of the Court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT herewith.6

[REDACTED/] D.O.B. 01/12/2010 DATE: 11/08/18 TIME: 09:42 PM

SUMMARY OF LIFE CARE ITEMS — RESPONDENT'S LIFE CARE PLAN dated October 11, 2017

ITEM OF CARE Insurance Medical Ancilliary Medications Supplies Home TOTALS TOTALS TOTALS OF Care Services Services of Items of Items 4.0% & 6.0% ITEMS with a 6.0% with a 4.0% & APPLYING Growth Rate Growth Rate THE GROWTH GROWTH RATE 6.0% 6.0% 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% RATE AGE YEAR 8 2018 7,166.00 0.00 5,775.00 281.76 2,543.19 27,740.00 7,166 36,340 43,506 9 2019 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 43,938 10 2020 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 45,847 11 2021 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 47,842 12 2022 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 49,927 13 2023 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 52,105 14 2024 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 54,381 15 2025 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 56,759 16 2026 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 59,245 17 2027 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 61,843 18 2028 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 64,559 19 2029 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 67,398 20 2030 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 70,366 21 2031 7,166.00 0.00 5,676.00 281.76 1,246.38 27,740.00 7,166 34,944 73,469 22 2032 2,316,00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 124,489 23 2033 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 129,620 24 2034 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1.236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 134,965 25 2035 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 140,534 26 2036 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 146,335 27 2037 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3.348 67,518 152,380 28 2038 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 158,678 29 2039 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 165,240 30 2040 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 3,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 172,077 31 2041 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 179,201 32 2042 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 283.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 186,625 33 2043 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 194,361 34 2044 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 202,423 35 2045 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,538 210,824 36 2046 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 219,580 37 2047 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 228,706 38 2048 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 238,217 39 2049 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,236.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,518 248,130 40 2050 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,415.21 66,000.00 3,348 67,697 259,091 41 2051 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 269,364 42 2052 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 280,597 43 2053 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 292,306 44 2054 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 304,513 45 2055 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 317,239 46 2056 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 330,507 47 2057 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 344,340 48 2058 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 358,764 49 2059 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 373,803 50 2060 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 389,485 51 2061 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 405,838 52 2062 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 422,892 53 2063 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 440,677 54 2064 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 459,226 55 2065 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,343 67,554 478,572 56 2066 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3.348 67,554 498,751 57 2067 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 519,798 58 2068 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 541,754 59 2069 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 564,658 60 2070 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 588,551 61 2071 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 613,479 62 2072 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 639,487 63 2073 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 666,624 64 2074 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3.348 67,554 694,940 65 2075 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 724,487 66 2076 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 755,321 67 2077 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 787,499 68 2078 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,345 67,554 821,083 69 2079 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272,01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 856,135 70 2080 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 892,722 71 2081 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272,01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 930,913 72 2082 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 970,780 73 2083 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,012,400 74 2084 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,055,852 75 2085 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,101,220 76 2086 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,148,590 77 2087 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,198,054 78 2088 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,249,708 79 2089 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,303,652 80 2090 2,336.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,359,991 81 2091 2,316,00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,418,835 82 2092 2,316,00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,480,300 83 2093 2,316,00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1344,506 84 2094 2,316.00 1,032.00 0.00 281.76 1,272.01 66,000.00 3,348 67,554 1,611,580 246,232 65,016 79.363 21,696 98,382 4,546,360 311,248 4,746,000 37,392,454 4.87% 129% 1.57% 0.43% 1.95% 89.90% 100.00% This Report was generated using Sequoia Settlement Services, LLC Software (c) 1990

WAGE LOSS ANALYSIS

Average Gross Average State Taxes Average Average Annual TOTALS TOTALS and Monthly Weekly Non-Farm Gross Georgia Monthly Cost Cost of a Health Applying the Amount of Wage Annual Wage 2017 of a Health Insurance Growth Rate Wage Loss (1) Insurance Policy Policy (2) LESS: Federal Taxes — 2017 FICA Standard Taxable Dedurrion Exemption Income Federal Tax PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH RATE WAGE LOSS $1,048.00 $54,496.00 6,350 4,050 44,096 6,758.00 $4,168.94 $2,777.00 525.76 $6,345.12 100.00% 2.50% Number CALENDAR AGE of Years YEAR 8 2018 9 2019 10 2020 11 2021 12 2022 13 2023 14 2024 15 2025 16 2026 17 2027 18 1 2028 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 44,094.99 3,674.58 19 2 2029 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 45,197.37 3,766.45 20 3 2030 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,165.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 46,327.30 3,860.61 21 4 2031 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 525.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 47,435.48 3,957.12 22 5 2032 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 48,672.62 4,056.05 23 6 2033 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,158.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 49,889.43 4,157.45 24 7 2034 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 51,136.67 4,261.39 25 8 2035 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 52,415.09 4,367,92 26 9 2034 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44.096.00 6,758.00 4,165.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 53,725.46 4,477.12 27 10 2037 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 55,068,60 4,589.05 28 11 2038 1,048.00 54.496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44.096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 56,445.32 4,703.78 29 12 2039 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350,00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777,00 528.75 6,345.12 34,446.94 57,856.45 4,521.37 30 13 2040 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2.777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 59,302.86 4,941.90 31 14 2041 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,530.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,348.12 34,446.94 60,785,43 5,065.45 32 15 2042 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 62,305.07 5,192.09 33 16 2043 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050:00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 63,862.69 5,321.89 34 17 2044 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,755.00 4,168.94 2.777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 65,459.26 5,454.94 35 18 2045 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 67.095.74 5,591.31 36 19 2046 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 68,773.14 5,731.09 37 20 2047 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 70,492.46 5,874.37 38 21 2048 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 72,254.78 6,021.23 39 22 2049 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 74,061.15 6,171.76 40 23 2050 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 75,912.67 6,326.06 41 24 2051 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,550.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6.758,00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 77,810.49 6,484.21 42 25 2052 1,018.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,165.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 79,755.75 6,646.31 43 26 2053 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 81,749.65 6,812.47 44 27 2054 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777,00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 83,793.39 6,982.78 45 28 2055 1,048.00 54,196.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 85,888.22 7,157.35 46 29 2056 1,048.00 54.496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 88,035.43 7,336.29 47 30 2057 1,045.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 90,236.31 7,519.69 48 31 2055 1,018.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 92,492.22 7,707.69 49 32 2059 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 94,804.53 7,900.38 50 33 2060 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 97,174.64 8,097.89 51 34 2061 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,168.94 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 99,604.01 8,300.33 52 35 2062 1,048.00 54,496.00 6,350.00 4,050.00 44,096.00 6,758.00 4,160134 2,777.00 528.76 6,345.12 34,446.94 102.094.11 8,507.84 1,205,643.00 2,422,058.78 Notes: 1 Bureau a Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Letter dated February 22, 2016 [Attached as Exhibit 1] 2 In accordance with 42 CER Sec.100.2, Delivered to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on October 24, 2017 [Attached as Exhibit 2] This Report runs generated using Sequoia Settlement Services, LLC Software (c) 1990

FootNotes


1. Because this Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the undersigned is required 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). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from public access.
2. The Program comprises Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. § 300aa.
3. On August 27, 2018, Robert Ruppenthal was appointed conservator of D.V.M.'s estate. See Petitioner's Exhibit 39. Mr. Ruppenthal subsequently became the petitioner in this matter. See Order dated Sept. 24, 2018 (ECF No. 110).
4. A decision was entered awarding compensation to petitioner based on respondent's Proffer on November 30, 2018, and judgment was entered on December 17, 2018. The parties later filed a joint motion to vacate the judgment, seeking to amend the form of the award. Joint Mot. dated May 16, 2019 (ECF No. 121). The undersigned granted the motion, withdrew the original decision, and vacated the judgment. Order dated May 31, 2019 (ECF No. 122).
5. In the Proffer, the parties agreed that this check should be made payable jointly to petitioner and the Georgia Department of Community Health. Proffer at 3. In their joint motion, however, the parties requested that this part of the award instead be made payable to the Georgia Department of Community Health alone. Joint Mot. at 2.
6. Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment is expedited by the parties' joint filing of notice renouncing the right to seek review.
Source:  Leagle

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