Does SSRS use a VB runtime library? In this case, the switch statement is documented here and states that you must even have a number . If this is your problem, you are likely to get a shot ArgumentException.
If you want to have a default return value, you need to add a dummy condition that always evaluates to true:
= Switch( IsNothing(Fields!field_date.Value),"", Fields!set_flag.Value=1,"Declined", True, Fields!field_name.Value)