Judith Cassandro-Green v. HHS - Td, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) (2015)

Judith Cassandro-Green filed a petition on July 17, 2015, alleging that she suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) caused by a tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine she received on August 2, 2007. She further alleged that she experienced residual effects from the injury for more than six months.

The respondent denied that the Td vaccine caused GBS or any other injury, and denied that the vaccine caused petitioner's current disabilities. Despite the respondent's denials, the parties reached a stipulation to resolve the case.

Special Master Laura D. Millman adopted the stipulation, awarding Judith Cassandro-Green $60,000.00 in compensation for all damages.

This award was to be paid via a check made payable to the petitioner. Subsequently, on December 8, 2015, the parties filed a stipulation regarding attorneys' fees and costs.

The petitioner asserted that she did not incur any costs. After informal discussions where the respondent raised objections to certain items in the petitioner's initial application, the petitioner amended her application for attorneys' fees and costs to $46,000.00.

The respondent did not object to this revised amount. Special Master Laura D.

Millman found the amount to be reasonable and awarded $46,000.00 for attorneys' fees and costs, payable jointly to Judith Cassandro-Green and her attorneys, Maglio, Christopher & Toale, PA. The public decision does not describe the onset of symptoms, specific clinical details of the GBS, diagnostic tests performed, treatments received, or the specific mechanism by which the Td vaccine allegedly caused the GBS.