James Christian Johnson v. HHS - Influenza, acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN), alleged Guillain-Barre syndrome variant, and death (2026)

On November 9, 2018, Rondi Johnson, administrator of the estate of her brother James Christian Johnson, filed a petition seeking compensation under the Vaccine Act. She alleged that an influenza vaccine Mr.

Johnson received on November 12, 2015 caused acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN), a Guillain-Barre syndrome variant, and his later death. The factual record described a rapid and severe neurologic decline, but the Special Master found that it did not prove the Table GBS diagnosis alleged in the petition.

Mr. Johnson first went to the emergency department on November 30, 2015 with a two-day history of urinary retention, difficulty moving his eyes after waking, dizziness, and blurred vision in his right eye.

On December 3, 2015, he was admitted with blurry vision, urinary retention, and worsening lower-extremity weakness. Physicians considered GBS, but they also noted features that made GBS less likely, including normal reflexes and urinary retention, and considered central nervous system disease.

Mr. Johnson's condition worsened over the following months.

He was treated at St. Joseph Hospital, a skilled nursing facility, and later the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Medical records described brain and spinal lesions, a diagnosis of progressive demyelinating multiple sclerosis by brain biopsy, neurogenic bladder, quadriplegia, sepsis, and later fulminant idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease. He received steroid and plasmapheresis therapies.

On March 20, 2016, a rapid-response team was called because of difficulty breathing, and he died on March 25, 2016 from respiratory failure. His death certificate attributed the death to respiratory failure due to demyelinating disease, not otherwise specified, and listed the flu vaccine as a cause.

Petitioner relied on neurologist Dr. Lawrence Steinman, who approached the illness as a neuroinflammatory process and addressed molecular mimicry and inflammatory demyelinating disease.

Respondent relied on Dr. Michael Wilson and Dr.

You-Wen He, who emphasized the central nervous system findings and the lack of evidence supporting AMSAN or another GBS subtype. In a fact ruling filed January 7, 2026, Special Master Herbrina D.

S. Young found that petitioner had not shown Mr.

Johnson met the Table qualifications for GBS. The ruling stressed that the record contained central nervous system findings, that the nerve conduction evidence did not establish AMSAN, and that petitioner had not ruled out more likely alternative diagnoses.

After that factual ruling, petitioner moved for dismissal, explaining that continuing would be unreasonable and would waste the resources of the Court, respondent, and the Vaccine Program. On April 1, 2026, Special Master Young dismissed the petition for insufficient proof.

No vaccine-injury compensation was awarded.