Heather Shaffer v. HHS - Influenza, Guillain-Barre syndrome (2025)
Case summary [AI summaries can sometimes make mistakes]
On June 4, 2020, Heather Shaffer filed a petition alleging that an influenza vaccination administered on October 9, 2017 caused Guillain-Barre syndrome. The publicly available stipulation is source-limited.
It states the vaccine, the alleged condition, and the parties' settlement terms, but it does not describe symptom onset, neurologic examination findings, lumbar puncture or EMG results, hospitalization, treatment, rehabilitation, or expert analysis. The Secretary denied that Ms.
Shaffer suffered a Table GBS, denied that the flu vaccine caused GBS or any other injury, and denied that any current condition was a sequela of a vaccine-related injury. On September 9, 2025, the parties filed a joint stipulation resolving the case.
Special Master Thomas L. Gowen Horner adopted the stipulation and awarded Ms.
Shaffer $300,000.00 in a lump sum for all damages available under the Vaccine Act, payable by ACH deposit to counsel's IOLTA account for prompt disbursement. She was represented by Scott R.
Taylor of Urban & Taylor in Milwaukee.
Theory of causation
Influenza vaccine, October 9, 2017, adult exact age not stated, alleged Guillain-Barre syndrome. COMPENSATED by stipulation for $300,000. Respondent denied Table GBS, causation-in-fact, and vaccine-related sequelae, but the parties resolved all damages by a lump-sum ACH payment to counsel's IOLTA account. The public stipulation does not provide onset, diagnostic testing, hospitalization, treatment, or expert detail. Special Master Horner, September 9, 2025. Attorney Scott R. Taylor, Urban & Taylor, Milwaukee.
Source PDFs
USCOURTS-cofc-1_20-vv-00678