Wendy Jacobs v. HHS - Influenza, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) (2022)
Case summary [AI summaries can sometimes make mistakes]
On May 22, 2019, Wendy Jacobs filed a petition alleging that an influenza vaccine administered on November 4, 2016, caused her to suffer from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). The respondent denied that the flu vaccine caused Petitioner's GBS, CIDP, or current condition, and also denied that Petitioner sustained a GBS Table injury.
Despite these denials, the parties reached a stipulation recommending an award of compensation. Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey adopted the stipulation, awarding Wendy Jacobs a total of $369,670.55.
This amount includes a lump sum of $236,866.51 for first-year life care expenses and combined lost earnings and pain and suffering, and a lump sum of $132,804.05 to reimburse a Medicaid lien. The decision was based on this stipulation and entered on September 27, 2022.
Petitioner was represented by Randall G. Knutson of Knutson & Casey Law Firm, and Respondent was represented by Sarah Christina Duncan of the U.S.
Department of Justice. The public decision does not describe the onset of symptoms, specific medical tests, treatments, or the mechanism of causation.
Theory of causation
Petitioner Wendy Jacobs alleged that an influenza vaccine administered on November 4, 2016, caused her to suffer from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). Respondent denied that the flu vaccine caused Petitioner's GBS, CIDP, or current condition, and denied that Petitioner sustained a GBS Table injury. The parties reached a stipulation recommending an award of compensation, which Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey adopted. The award totaled $369,670.55, comprising $236,866.51 for first-year life care expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering, and $132,804.05 for a Medicaid lien reimbursement. The decision was based on the stipulation, entered on September 27, 2022. Petitioner's counsel was Randall G. Knutson, and Respondent's counsel was Sarah Christina Duncan. The public decision does not detail the specific theory of causation, expert testimony, or the mechanism of injury.
Source PDFs
USCOURTS-cofc-1_19-vv-00761