Melody Hawkins v. HHS - Tdap, encephalopathy and lower extremity weakness (2015)

Melody Hawkins, as the parent and natural guardian of her minor daughter T.H., filed a petition for compensation under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act on August 5, 2014. Petitioner alleged that T.H. suffered from encephalopathy and lower extremity weakness as a result of receiving Tetanus-Diphtheria-acellular-Pertussis (TDaP), Hepatitis A (Hep A), Varicella, and Gardasil (HPV) vaccinations on August 4, 2011.

The case was initially dismissed by the Special Master on July 30, 2015. On October 21, 2015, the parties filed a stipulation concerning attorneys' fees and costs.

The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, did not object to the requested amount. Special Master Lisa Hamilton-Fieldman found that the petition was brought in good faith and had a reasonable basis.

Accordingly, an award of $17,616.67 in attorneys' fees and costs was granted, payable jointly to T.H. and her counsel, John Robert Howie, Jr. of Howie Law, P.C. The Special Master ordered that judgment be entered in accordance with the stipulation.

The decision was unpublished and intended for posting on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, with provisions for redaction requests.