Special Processing Unit SPU Added to the Guidelines for Practice - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Special Processing Unit – SPU

Added to the Guidelines for Practice Under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Available at:

http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/GUIDLINES-FOR- PRACTICE-4212016.pdf

434 384 413 525 677 945 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

SPU ARISES FROM A NEED TO MANAGE AN INCREASING CASE LOAD

Approximate Number of Cases Filed

CRITERIA FOR SPU INCLUSION

• Table cases
• Quasi-Table cases
• Other cases likely to settle
• Cases that must be dismissed

SPU PROCESS

• All new petitions reviewed by Chief Special Master
• Cases meeting criteria assigned to Chief Special

Master’s docket

• Other cases assigned on the wheel
• Staff attorney case management (now 6 staff

attorneys)

• Chief Special Master supervision

TYPES OF CASES IN SPU

63% 27% 4% 2%1% 3%

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) BRACHIAL NEURITIS INTUSSUSCEPTION NOT A COVERED VACCINE ALL OTHER As of March 31, 2016 (% are approximate)

SPU Awards by Injury Type

90,000 150,000 90,556 55,718 92,521

$0 $200,000 $400,000 $600,000 $800,000 $1,000,000 $1,200,000 $1,400,000 $1,600,000 SIRVA GBS Brachial Neuritis Intussusception Other

Median

Among cases compensated as of March 31, 2016

SPU OUTCOMES

Among 761 total SPU cases, 299 have resolved, with 172 cases resolved in less than 240 days.

As of March 31, 2016

SPU OUTCOMES

• Of the 299 cases resolved
• 282 compensated (94%)
• 17 dismissed (6%)
• 13 cases transferred to another special master (less

than 2% of cases assigned to SPU)

As of March 31, 2016