Karen J. Darling v. HHS - Influenza, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (2023)

Karen J. Darling filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program on January 21, 2020, alleging that she suffered from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) as a result of receiving an influenza vaccine on September 25, 2017.

The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the flu vaccine caused her condition but agreed to a settlement. The parties stipulated to an award of compensation.

The public decision does not describe the specific onset of symptoms, clinical course, diagnostic tests, treatments, or expert witnesses. On February 27, 2023, Special Master Thomas L.

Gowen issued a decision on stipulation, adopting the parties' agreement. The stipulation awarded Karen J.

Darling a lump sum of $95,000.00, payable by check, as compensation for all damages. Petitioner counsel was Glen Howard Sturtevant, Jr. of Rawls Law Group, and respondent counsel was Mark Kim Hellie of the U.S.

Department of Justice. The decision was posted on the court's website without redactions.