VICP Registry Case Source Bundle
Canonical URL: https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_16-vv-01228
Package ID: USCOURTS-cofc-1_16-vv-01228
Petitioner: Jennifer L. Ratzlaff
Filed: 2018-11-15
Decided: 2019-01-07
Vaccine: Tdap
Vaccination date: 2013-10-31
Condition: Guillan-Barré syndrome
Outcome: compensated
Award amount USD: 80000

AI-assisted case summary:
Jennifer Ratzlaff filed a petition on November 15, 2018, seeking compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Ms. Ratzlaff alleged that she developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as a result of receiving a tetanus-diptheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine on October 31, 2013. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, initially recommended that Ms. Ratzlaff be denied compensation. The parties retained experts and prepared for a hearing, which had been set for December 3, 2018. However, prior to the hearing, they elected to engage in settlement negotiations. Although the respondent maintained its position that the Tdap vaccine did not cause Ms. Ratzlaff's injury, the parties filed a stipulation on November 15, 2018. Special Master Brian H. Corcoran reviewed the record and found the stipulation to be reasonable, adopting it as the decision awarding damages. The stipulation awarded Ms. Ratzlaff a lump sum of $80,000.00, payable to Petitioner, as compensation for all damages. This decision was entered on January 7, 2019. The public decision does not describe the specific onset of symptoms, medical tests, treatments, or the mechanism of causation. The attorneys involved were Nancy Routh Meyers for the Petitioner and Christine Mary Becer for the Respondent.

Theory of causation field:
Petitioner Jennifer Ratzlaff alleged that her Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) was caused by her Tdap vaccination on October 31, 2013. The Respondent maintained that the vaccine did not cause the injury. The parties ultimately filed a stipulation for settlement. Special Master Brian H. Corcoran adopted the stipulation as his decision, awarding Petitioner $80,000.00 as compensation for all damages. The public decision does not detail the specific theory of causation, the mechanism of injury, or name any experts. The decision date was January 7, 2019, and the petition was filed on November 15, 2018. Petitioner's counsel was Nancy Routh Meyers, and Respondent's counsel was Christine Mary Becer.

Public staged source text:

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DOCUMENT 1: USCOURTS-cofc-1_16-vv-01228-0
Date issued/filed: 2019-01-07
Pages: 7
Docket text: PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 11/15/2018) regarding 30 DECISION Stipulation/Proffer Signed by Special Master Brian H. Corcoran. (mml) Service on parties made.
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Case 1:16-vv-01228-UNJ Document 34 Filed 01/07/19 Page 1 of 7
In the United States Court of Federal Claims
OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
No. 16-1228V
(not to be published)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
JENNIFER L. RATZLAFF, *
*
* Special Master Corcoran
*
Petitioner, * Filed: November 15, 2018
*
v. *
* Decision by Stipulation; Damages;
SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Tetanus-Diptheria-Acellular Pertussis
AND HUMAN SERVICES, * (“Tdap”) Vaccine; Guillan-Barré
* Syndrome (“GBS”).
Respondent. *
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nancy Routh Meyers, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, NC, for Petitioner.
Christine Mary Becer, U.S. Dep’t of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.
DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1
On September 29, 2016, Jennifer Ratzlaff filed a petition seeking compensation under the
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.2 ECF No. 1. Petitioner alleges that she suffered
from Guillan-Barré syndrome as a result of her October 31, 2013 tetanus-diptheria-acelluar
pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine. Pet. at 1–2. Respondent initially recommended that Petitioner be
denied compensation. Rule 4(c) Report at 2, Apr. 7, 2017, ECF No. 9. The parties retained experts
and prepared for a hearing, which I set for December 3, 2018. Prehr’g Order at 1, Nov. 17, 2017,
1 Although this Decision has been formally designated “not to be published,” it will nevertheless be posted on the
Court of Federal Claims’ website in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, 44 U.S.C. § 3501 (2012). This
means the Decision will be available to anyone with access to the internet. As provided by 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-
12(d)(4)(B), however, the parties may object to the Decision’s inclusion of certain kinds of confidential information.
Specifically, under Vaccine Rule 18(b), each party has fourteen days within which to request redaction “of any
information furnished by that party: (1) that is a trade secret or commercial or financial in substance and is privileged
or confidential; or (2) that includes medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly
unwarranted invasion of privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b). Otherwise, the whole Decision will be available online in its
present form. Id.
2 The Vaccine Program comprises Part 2 of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660,
100 Stat. 3758, codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-10 through 34 (2012) (“Vaccine Act” or “the Act”).

Case 1:16-vv-01228-UNJ Document 34 Filed 01/07/19 Page 2 of 7
ECF No. 21. Prior to hearing, however, the parties elected to engage in settlement negotiations,
and although Respondent maintains his position that the Tdap vaccine did not cause Petitioner’s
injury, the parties filed a stipulation on November 15, 2018. See Stip. at 1, ECF No. 28.
Based upon my own review of the record, I conclude that the parties’ stipulation (as
attached hereto) is reasonable. I therefore adopt it as my decision in awarding damages on the
terms set forth therein.
The stipulation awards:
 A lump sum of $80,000.00, in the form of a check payable to Petitioner.
Stip. at 2. This amount represents compensation for all damages under Section 15(a) of the Act to
which Petitioner is entitled.
I approve a Vaccine Program award in the requested amount set forth above to be made to
Petitioner. In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of
the Court is directed to enter judgment herewith.3
IT IS SO ORDERED.
/s/ Brian H. Corcoran
Brian H. Corcoran
Special Master
3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), the parties may expedite entry of judgment by each filing (either jointly or separately)
a notice renouncing their right to seek review.
2

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