Linda Mullins v. HHS - Influenza, myelitis (2014)
Case summary [AI summaries can sometimes make mistakes]
Linda Mullins filed a petition on February 2, 2012, alleging that she suffered myelitis as a result of an influenza vaccine administered on November 2, 2012, and experienced residual effects for more than six months. The respondent denied that the flu vaccine caused her myelitis or any other injury.
However, the parties filed a joint stipulation for damages, which Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey found reasonable. The stipulation awarded Linda Mullins $35,000.00 as compensation for all damages.
Petitioner was represented by Michael G. McLaren of Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, PC, and respondent was represented by Lara Ann Englund of the United States Department of Justice.
A subsequent decision on December 1, 2014, awarded $38,500.00 for attorneys' fees and costs, jointly payable to the petitioner and her attorney, Michael G. McLaren.
Judgment was entered in accordance with the parties' stipulations.
Theory of causation
Petitioner Linda Mullins alleged that she suffered myelitis as a result of an influenza vaccine administered on November 2, 2012, and experienced residual effects for more than six months. Respondent denied causation. The parties filed a joint stipulation for damages, which Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey found reasonable and adopted as the decision of the Court. The stipulation awarded petitioner $35,000.00 for all damages. A subsequent stipulation addressed attorneys' fees and costs, resulting in an additional award of $38,500.00, jointly payable to petitioner and her attorney, Michael G. McLaren. The public decision does not describe the specific medical mechanism, onset, symptoms, diagnostic tests, or treatments related to the alleged myelitis. No experts were named in the public decision. The theory of causation is unclear from the provided text, as the case was resolved by stipulation.
Source PDFs
USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00069