VICP Registry Case Source Bundle
Canonical URL: https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01059
Package ID: USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01059
Petitioner: Valerie C. Dobbins
Filed: 2016-02-03
Decided: 2016-05-05
Vaccine: influenza
Vaccination date: 2013-10-30
Condition: Guillain Barre Syndrome
Outcome: compensated
Award amount USD: 175000

AI-assisted case summary:
Valerie C. Dobbins filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, alleging that she suffered Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) as a result of an influenza vaccination she received on October 30, 2013. She further alleged that she experienced residual effects from the injury for more than six months and had not received any prior award or settlement for damages. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the flu vaccine caused Ms. Dobbins' GBS or any other injury. Despite the denial, the parties filed a joint stipulation on February 1, 2016, agreeing that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The court found the stipulation to be reasonable and adopted it as the decision of the Court. Ms. Dobbins was awarded a lump sum of $175,000.00, representing compensation for all items of damages available under the Vaccine Act. The decision was entered on May 5, 2016.

Theory of causation field:
unclear

Public staged source text:

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DOCUMENT 1: USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01059-0
Date issued/filed: 2016-05-05
Pages: 7
Docket text: PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 02/03/2016) regarding 28 DECISION Stipulation/Proffer ( Signed by Chief Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey.)(mpj) Copy to parties.
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Case 1:14-vv-01059-UNJ Document 34 Filed 05/05/16 Page 1 of 7
In the United States Court of Federal Claims
OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
No. 14-1059V
Filed: February 3, 2016
UNPUBLISHED
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
VALERIE C. DOBBINS, *
*
Petitioner, * Joint Stipulation on Damages;
* Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccination;
* Guillain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”);
SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)
AND HUMAN SERVICES, *
*
Respondent. *
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nancy Routh Meyers, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, NC, for petitioner.
Althea Walker Davis, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.
DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1
Dorsey, Chief Special Master:
On October 30, 2014, petitioner filed a petition for compensation under the
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.,2 [the
“Vaccine Act”]. Petitioner alleges that she suffered Guillain Barre Syndrome as the
result on her influenza (“flu”) vaccination on October 30, 2013. Petition, ¶ 15;
Stipulation, filed February 1, 2016, ¶¶ 2, 4. Petitioner further alleges that she suffered
the residual effects of her injury for more than six months, and that she has received no
prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages as a result of her injury. Petition,
¶¶ 18, 20; Stipulation, ¶¶ 4-5. “Respondent denies that the flu vaccine caused
petitioner’s Guillain-Barre Syndrome or any other injury or her current condition.”
Stipulation, ¶ 6.
Nevertheless, on February 1, 2016, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation,
stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned
1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the
undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, in accordance with
the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012)(Federal Management and Promotion of
Electronic Government Services). In accordance with Vaccine Rule 18(b), petitioner has 14 days to
identify and move to redact medical or other information, the disclosure of which would constitute an
unwarranted invasion of privacy. If, upon review, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits
within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from public access.
2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for
ease of citation, all “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2012).

Case 1:14-vv-01059-UNJ Document 34 Filed 05/05/16 Page 2 of 7
finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding
damages, on the terms set forth therein.
The parties stipulated that petitioner shall receive the following compensation:
A lump sum of $175,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner.
Stipulation, ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages
that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Id.
The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation.
In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of
the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3
IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/Nora Beth Dorsey
Nora Beth Dorsey
Chief Special Master
3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.
2

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