VICP Registry Case Source Bundle
Canonical URL: https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_22-vv-00469
Package ID: USCOURTS-cofc-1_22-vv-00469
Petitioner: Lessie Williams
Filed: 2022-04-26
Decided: 2024-09-04
Vaccine: influenza
Vaccination date: 2020-02-03
Condition: Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Outcome: compensated
Award amount USD: 374757

AI-assisted case summary:
Lessie Williams, an adult, received an influenza vaccination on February 3, 2020. She subsequently developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), which is a Table injury. The petition alleged that Ms. Williams suffered residual effects of her injury for more than six months and that there had been no prior award or settlement for her injury. The respondent conceded that Ms. Williams was entitled to compensation, as her GBS onset occurred within the Table's timeframe following a seasonal flu vaccination and there was no apparent alternative cause. The court issued a ruling on entitlement, finding her eligible for compensation. Subsequently, a decision awarding damages was issued. The respondent proffered an award of $250,000.00 for pain and suffering, $4,672.50 for past unreimbursable expenses, and $120,084.63 to satisfy a Medicaid lien, which the petitioner agreed to. The total award amounted to $374,757.13.

Theory of causation field:
Table

Public staged source text:

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DOCUMENT 1: USCOURTS-cofc-1_22-vv-00469-0
Date issued/filed: 2024-09-03
Pages: 2
Docket text: PUBLIC ORDER/RULING (Originally filed: 07/31/2024) regarding 37 Ruling on Entitlement. Signed by Chief Special Master Brian H. Corcoran. (tlf) Service on parties made.
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Case 1:22-vv-00469-UNJ Document 39 Filed 09/03/24 Page 1 of 2
In the United States Court of Federal Claims
OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
No. 22-469V
ALESIA MCCLELLAN, personal Chief Special Master Corcoran
representative of the estate of LESSIE
WILLIAMS, Filed: July 31, 2024
Petitioner,
v.
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES,
Respondent.
Nancy Routh Meyers, Turning Point Litigation, Greensboro, NC, for Petitioner.
Jay Travis Williamson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.
RULING ON ENTITLEMENT1
On April 26, 2022, Lessie Williams2 filed a petition for compensation under the
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.3 (the
“Vaccine Act”). The Petition alleges that Ms. Williams suffered a Table Injury - Guillain-
1 Because this Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action taken in this case, it must be made
publicly accessible and will be posted on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, and/or
at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts/national/cofc, in accordance with the E-Government
Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2018) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government
Services). This means the Ruling will be available to anyone with access to the internet. In accordance
with Vaccine Rule 18(b), Petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to redact medical or other information,
the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. If, upon review, I agree that
the identified material fits within this definition, I will redact such material from public access.
2 Ms. Williams died on December 9, 2023, from pancreatic cancer. Exhibit 13. On March 20, 2024, I
granted Petitioner’s Motion to Substitute Alesia McClellan (the personal representative of Ms. Williams’s
estate) as the “Petitioner” in this claim. ECF No. 35; Exhibit 14. All references in this ruling to “Petitioner”
refer to Ms. McClellan in her representative capacity as the personal representative of the Estate of
Lessie Williams.
3 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease
of citation, all section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2018).

Case 1:22-vv-00469-UNJ Document 39 Filed 09/03/24 Page 2 of 2
Barré Syndrome (“GBS”) as a result of her February 3, 2020 influenza (“flu”) vaccination.
Petition at 1, ¶ 21. It is further alleged that Ms. Williams suffered the residual effects of
her injury for more than six months, and that there has been no prior award or settlement
of a civil action on her behalf as a result of her injury. Petition at ¶¶ 18-19, 21. The case
was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.
On July 29, 2024, Respondent filed his Rule 4(c) report in which he concedes that
Petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report at 1.
Specifically, Respondent states that
[P]etitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table
(“Table”) and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation (“QAI”), which
affords [P]etitioner a presumption of causation if the onset of GBS occurs
between three and forty-two days after a seasonal flu vaccination and there
is no apparent alternative cause.
Id. at 10 (citing 42 C.F.R. § 100.3 (a)(XIV)(D), (c)(15)). Respondent further agrees that
Ms. Williams suffered the sequela of her injury for more than six months, and averred that
that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action on her behalf as a result
of her injury.” Id.
In view of Respondent’s position and the evidence of record, I find that
Petitioner is entitled to compensation.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/Brian H. Corcoran
Brian H. Corcoran
Chief Special Master
2

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DOCUMENT 2: USCOURTS-cofc-1_22-vv-00469-1
Date issued/filed: 2024-09-04
Pages: 2
Docket text: PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 07/31/2024) regarding 38 DECISION Stipulation/Proffer. Signed by Chief Special Master Brian H. Corcoran. (tlf) Service on parties made.
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Case 1:22-vv-00469-UNJ Document 40 Filed 09/04/24 Page 1 of 2
In the United States Court of Federal Claims
OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS
No. 22-469V
ALESIA MCCLELLAN, personal Chief Special Master Corcoran
representative of the estate of LESSIE
WILLIAMS, Filed: July 31, 2024
Petitioner,
v.
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES,
Respondent.
Nancy Routh Meyers, Turning Point Litigation, Greensboro, NC
Jay Travis Williamson, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.
DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1
On April 26, 2022, Lessie Williams2 filed a petition for compensation under the
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.3 (the
“Vaccine Act”). The Petition alleges that Ms. Williams suffered a Table Injury - Guillain-
Barré Syndrome (“GBS”) as a result of her February 3, 2020 influenza (“flu”) vaccination.
Petition at 1, ¶ 21. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of
Special Masters.
1 Because this Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action taken in this case, it must be made
publicly accessible and will be posted on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, and/or
at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts/national/cofc, in accordance with the E-Government
Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2018) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government
Services). This means the Decision will be available to anyone with access to the internet. In
accordance with Vaccine Rule 18(b), Petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to redact medical or other
information, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. If, upon review, I
agree that the identified material fits within this definition, I will redact such material from public access.
2 Ms. Williams died on December 9, 2023, from pancreatic cancer. Exhibit 13. On March 20, 2024, I
granted Petitioner’s Motion to Substitute Alesia McClellan (the personal representative of Ms. Williams’s
estate) as the “Petitioner” in this claim. ECF No. 35; Exhibit 14. All references in this ruling to “Petitioner”
refer to Ms. McClellan in her representative capacity as the personal representative of the Estate of
Lessie Williams.
3 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease
of citation, all section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. §
300aa (2018).

Case 1:22-vv-00469-UNJ Document 40 Filed 09/04/24 Page 2 of 2
On July 31, 2024, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner entitled to
compensation for GBS. On July 29, 2024, Respondent filed a proffer on award of
compensation (“Proffer”), contained within his Rule 4(c) Report, indicating Petitioner
should be awarded $250,000.00 in pain and suffering, $4,672.50 in past unreimbursable
expenses, and funds to satisfy the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Medicaid lien in the
amount of $120,084.63. Proffer at 11-12. In the Proffer, Respondent represented that
Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Id. Based on the record as a whole, I find that
Petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in the Proffer.
Pursuant to the terms stated in the Proffer, I award the following compensation:
A. A lump sum payment of $254,672.50 (representing $250,000.00 in pain and
suffering and $4,672.50 in past unreimbursable expenses) in the form of a
check payable to Petitioner, Alesia McClellan, personal representative of the
estate of Lessie Williams; and
B. A lump sum payment of $120,084.63, representing compensation for
satisfaction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Medicaid lien, in the
form of a check payable jointly to Petitioner and:
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Bureau of Program Integrity
Division of Third Party Liability
Recovery Section
P.O. Box 8486
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8486
ID No: 730 143 912
Petitioner agrees to endorse the check to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for
satisfaction of the Medicaid lien. Proffer at 11-12. This amount represents compensation
for all damages that would be available under Section 15(a).
The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.4
IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/Brian H. Corcoran
Brian H. Corcoran
Chief Special Master
4 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice
renouncing the right to seek review.
2