Carie Brown v. HHS - Influenza, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) (2015)

On March 19, 2015, Carie Brown, as parent of K.B., a minor, filed a petition in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The petition alleged that K.B. suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as a result of receiving an influenza vaccine on October 14, 2011, and a Hepatitis A vaccine on November 18, 2011.

The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the vaccinations caused K.B.'s GBS or any other condition. Despite the denial, the parties reached a joint stipulation for damages.

Special Master Lisa Hamilton-Fieldman reviewed the stipulation and found it reasonable, adopting it as the decision of the Court. The stipulation awarded K.B. a total of $92,045.63.

This amount was comprised of a lump sum of $90,000.00 payable to Petitioner as guardian/conservator of K.B.'s estate and a lump sum of $2,045.63 payable to Petitioner for past unreimbursed medical expenses. The parties agreed to expedite the judgment by renouncing their right to seek review.

Petitioner's counsel was Ronald C. Homer of Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan, P.C., and respondent's counsel was Debra Begley of the United States Department of Justice.

The public decision does not describe the onset of symptoms, specific medical tests, treatments, or the mechanism of causation.