Susan V. Torrey v. HHS - Pneumococcal, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) (2022)

Susan V. Torrey filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program on June 7, 2018, alleging she developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) after receiving a Prevnar 13 pneumonia vaccination on July 20, 2015.

This decision addresses an interim application for attorneys' fees and costs filed by Ms. Torrey's counsel on December 17, 2020, requesting $19,070.00 in fees and $11,538.75 in costs.

The respondent did not contest the reasonableness of the case proceeding, asking the Special Master to exercise discretion in awarding fees if a reasonable basis existed. The Special Master noted that applications for interim fees typically occur after an entitlement hearing, allowing for a full analysis of the merits.

As the entitlement hearing had not yet taken place and the respondent raised reasonable basis issues, the Special Master deferred the decision on interim fees and costs until the conclusion of the entitlement phase of the case.