Cheyenne Prescott v. HHS - Meningococcal, vaccine induced systemic inflammatory response to immunization, Guillain-Barre syndrome (“GBS”), neuropathy, Reynaud’s phenomenon, numbness and tingling inn her arms and legs with generalized weakness, among other injuries (2020)

Cheyenne Prescott filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, alleging that she suffered vaccine-induced systemic inflammatory response to immunization, Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), neuropathy, Reynaud’s phenomenon, numbness and tingling in her arms and legs with generalized weakness, among other injuries, as a result of receiving the Meningococcal vaccine on February 6, 2015. The petition was filed on December 28, 2017.

The decision notes that to receive compensation, petitioners must prove either a Table Injury or that the vaccine was the cause-in-fact of their injuries. The petitioner was not alleging a Table Injury and therefore had to demonstrate causation-in-fact by showing a medical theory connecting the vaccination and injury, a logical sequence of cause and effect, and a proximate temporal relationship.

The court stated that compensation cannot be awarded based on claims alone and must be supported by medical records or expert opinions. In this case, the medical records were insufficient, and the petitioner's experts did not present opinions supporting vaccine causation.

On December 7, 2020, the petitioner filed a motion to dismiss her own petition, understanding that this would result in a judgment against her. The respondent did not oppose the motion.

The Special Master granted the petitioner's motion and dismissed the matter for insufficient proof.