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Chief Special Master Awards $30,740.41 in Attorneys' Fees and Costs to Successful Vaccine Claimant

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— 1 min read

Pamela Lewis-Nunez, a petitioner under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, has been awarded attorneys' fees and costs totaling $30,740.41. Ms. Lewis-Nunez alleged that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration after receiving an influenza vaccine on October 17, 2020. The parties stipulated to her injury on March 18, 2025, and Chief Special Master Corcoran subsequently awarded compensation to Ms. Lewis-Nunez. Following a motion for attorney's fees and costs, the Chief Special Master has now granted the award, finding the requested hourly rates and costs to be reasonable.

Key Takeaways:

  • Pamela Lewis-Nunez, a petitioner under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, was awarded $30,740.41 in attorneys' fees and costs on August 29, 2025.
  • The award was made after the parties stipulated to her injury on March 18, 2025, which was the result of receiving an influenza vaccine on October 17, 2020.
  • The Chief Special Master found the requested hourly rates and costs to be reasonable, with the requested costs amounting to $1,072.91.
  • Petitioner incurred no personal out-of-pocket expenses, and Respondent did not object to the rates or amounts sought.
  • The Chief Special Master adjusted Nathan Marchese's rates to be consistent with prior determinations, reducing the fees to be awarded herein by $244.00.
  • The reduction was calculated based on the difference between the requested rates and the previously determined rates for 2023 and 2024.

Statistics:

  • Total attorneys' fees and costs awarded: $30,740.41
  • Fees awarded: $29,667.50
  • Costs awarded: $1,072.91
  • Number of hours billed by attorney Jonathan Svitak: Not specified
  • Number of hours billed by attorney Patrick Anderson: Not specified
  • Number of hours billed by paralegals: Not specified
  • Reduction in fees due to adjusted rate: $244.00

Sources:

  • United States Court of Federal Claims (OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 21-1709V)
  • Vaccine Rule 18(b)
  • Vaccine Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2018)
  • National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755
  • Wood v. Sec'y of Health & Hum. Servs., No. 24-0130, Slip Op. 39 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. June 25, 2025)
  • Jefferson v. Sec'y of Health & Hum. Servs., No. 19-1882V, 2023 WL 387051 (Fed. Cl. Spec. Mstr. Jan. 9, 2023)

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