Gayane Diana Karapetian v. HHS - Tdap, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) (2021)
Case summary [AI summaries can sometimes make mistakes]
Gayane Diana Karapetian filed a petition for compensation on April 12, 2019, alleging that the Tetanus, Diphtheria, acellular Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine she received on January 26, 2018, caused her to develop Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the vaccine caused Ms.
Karapetian's GBS or any other injury. The parties, represented by counsel Amy Senerth of Muller Brazil, LLP for the petitioner and Mollie Gorney of the United States Department of Justice for the respondent, reached a joint stipulation agreeing to compensation.
Special Master Christian J. Moran reviewed the stipulation.
The public decision does not describe the specific onset, symptoms, medical tests, or treatments related to Ms. Karapetian's condition.
The court found the stipulation reasonable and adopted it as the decision of the court. Ms.
Karapetian was awarded a lump sum payment of $40,400.00, representing compensation for all damages available under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The case proceeded as a Table claim, as GBS is listed on the Vaccine Injury Table for the Tdap vaccine.
The public decision does not name any medical experts or detail the specific mechanism of causation alleged.
Theory of causation
Petitioner Gayane Diana Karapetian alleged that the Tdap vaccine received on January 26, 2018, caused Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). GBS is listed on the Vaccine Injury Table for the Tdap vaccine, indicating a potential "Table" claim. The respondent denied causation. The parties filed a joint stipulation for compensation, which was adopted by Special Master Christian J. Moran. The stipulation included a lump sum award of $40,400.00. The public decision does not detail the specific medical evidence, expert testimony, or the precise mechanism of causation relied upon for the stipulation, other than GBS being a condition listed on the Vaccine Injury Table for the Tdap vaccine. Petitioner counsel was Amy Senerth, and respondent counsel was Mollie Gorney. The decision was filed on March 2, 2021, and the award was issued on March 24, 2021.
Source PDFs
USCOURTS-cofc-1_19-vv-00546