Matthew Wolfe v. HHS - Meningococcal, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (2016)

On May 31, 2016, Stephanie Wolfe filed a petition on behalf of her then-minor son, Matthew Wolfe, alleging that the meningococcal vaccine administered on June 27, 2012, caused him to develop Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the vaccine caused Petitioner's GBS or any other injury.

The parties subsequently filed a joint stipulation on damages and attorneys' fees. The Special Master, Lisa Hamilton-Fieldman, found the stipulation to be reasonable and noted that the petition was brought in good faith with a reasonable basis for the claim.

The stipulation awarded Matthew Wolfe a lump sum of $85,000.00 for all damages, payable to Petitioner. Additionally, a lump sum of $21,000.00 was awarded for attorneys' fees and litigation costs, payable jointly to Petitioner and his counsel, Timothy J.

Carpuso, Esq. The court adopted the stipulation as its decision, and judgment was to be entered accordingly.

The case caption was later amended to reflect that Matthew Wolfe was no longer a minor. The public decision does not describe the specific onset of symptoms, medical tests, treatments, or the mechanism of causation.