L.P. v. HHS - DTaP, transverse myelitis (2015)

On September 9, 2013, Cortney Leibfried, as parent and guardian for her minor daughter L.P., filed a petition under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The petition alleged that L.P. developed transverse myelitis (TM) as a result of receiving DTaP, Prevnar, and Hepatitis A vaccines on September 22, 2010.

The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the vaccines caused L.P.'s TM or any resulting sequelae. The parties subsequently entered into a joint stipulation for damages, which Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey adopted as the court's decision.

Under this stipulation, L.P. was awarded a lump sum of $175,000.00 for all damages. Additionally, a lump sum payment of $12,182.10 was awarded to reimburse a State of Pennsylvania Medicaid lien, payable jointly to petitioner and the Department of Public Welfare.

Later, on June 19, 2015, the parties filed a stipulation concerning attorneys' fees and costs. Special Master Dorsey approved a total award of $51,195.82 for attorneys' fees and costs, payable jointly to L.P. and her attorney, Lawrence R.

Cohan of Anapol Schwartz. Judgment was entered accordingly.

The public decision does not describe the onset of symptoms, specific clinical details of the transverse myelitis, any diagnostic tests performed, or treatments received. The theory of causation was not explicitly stated in the public decision, as the case was resolved through stipulation.