{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483-0","petitioner_identifier":"Lavern Griffis","is_minor":0,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":"years (no age in source - verified)","vaccine_type":"influenza","vaccination_date":"2013-10-10","condition_raw":"Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), transverse myelitis, and urinary retention and kidney failure","condition_category":"GBS","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"compensated","award_amount_usd":200000,"decision_date":"2017-01-06","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T03:13:27.512284+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioner alleged that an influenza vaccine administered on October 10, 2013, caused Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), transverse myelitis, urinary retention, and kidney failure, leading to the death of Lavern Griffis on May 7, 2015. The respondent denied causation. The parties reached a joint stipulation for damages, which was adopted by Special Master Thomas L. Gowen. The stipulation resulted in an award of $200,000.00 to the estate of Lavern Griffis. The public decision does not detail the specific theory of causation, medical experts, or the mechanism by which the vaccine allegedly caused the injuries or death.","is_death":1,"date_of_death":"2015-05-07","petition_filed_date":"2015-05-11","case_summary":"On May 11, 2015, Lavern Griffis filed a petition in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program alleging that an influenza vaccine administered on October 10, 2013, caused her to suffer Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), transverse myelitis, urinary retention, and kidney failure. Ms. Griffis died on May 7, 2015, and Micolous Griffis, as the personal representative of her estate, was substituted as the petitioner. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the flu vaccine caused Ms. Griffis's alleged injuries or death. The parties subsequently filed a joint stipulation for damages. Special Master Thomas L. Gowen adopted the stipulation as the decision of the Court. The stipulation provided for a lump sum award of $200,000.00, payable to Micolous Griffis as the legal representative of Lavern Griffis's estate, as compensation for all damages. The decision was issued on January 6, 2017. The public decision does not describe the specific onset of symptoms, diagnostic tests, treatments, or the mechanism of causation. The names of petitioner's counsel were Paul R. Brazil and Muller Brazil, LLP, and respondent's counsel was Douglas Ross from the United States Department of Justice.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Thomas L. Gowen","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":"Lavern Griffis","petitioner_attorney_name":"Paul R. Brazil","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Muller Brazil, LLP","petitioner_attorney_location":"Dresher, PA","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":"2026-05-05 23:45:53","attorney_canonical_keys":"|paul-brazil|","firm_canonical_key":"muller-brazil","package_title":"GRIFFIS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483-0","title":"GRIFFIS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 12/07/2016) regarding 58 DECISION Stipulation/Proffer ( Signed by Special Master Thomas L. Gowen.)(mpj) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-01-06","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":1424241,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'stipulation'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00483-1","title":"GRIFFIS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 01/25/2017) regarding 66 DECISION of Special Master - Fees ( Signed by Special Master Thomas L. Gowen.)(mpj) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-02-21","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}