In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 16-365V

Filed: September 26, 2016

UNPUBLISHED

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

STEPHEN KNOWLES, *

*

Petitioner, * Joint Stipulation on Damages;

v. * Influenza;

* Guillain-Barre Syndrome; GBS;

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Special Processing Unit (“SPU”)

AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

*

Respondent. *

*

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Renee J. Gentry, Vaccine Injury Clinic, George Washington University Law School, for 

petitioner.

Gordon Elliot Shemin, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

On March 21, 2016, petitioner filed a petition for compensation under the 

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.,

2 (the 

“Vaccine Act”). Petitioner alleges that he suffered Gullain-Barre Syndrome (“GBS”) 

following receipt of his September 17, 2015 influenza vaccination. Petition at 1; 

Stipulation, filed September 21, 2016, at ¶ 4. Petitioner further alleges that he 

experienced residual effects of his GBS for more than six months and that there has 

been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages as a result of his 

condition. Petition at 3; Stipulation at ¶¶ 4-5. “Respondent denies that the flu vaccine 

caused any injury to petitioner. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6. 

Nevertheless, on September 21, 2016, the parties filed the attached joint 

stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The 

 1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the 

undersigned intends to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, in accordance with 

the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal Management and Promotion of 

Electronic Government Services). 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, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits 

within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from public access.

2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for 

ease of citation, all “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 

300aa (2012).
2

undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court 

in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

The parties stipulate that petitioner shall receive the following compensation:

A lump sum of $495,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner. 

Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of 

damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Id. 

The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation. 

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of 

the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Nora Beth Dorsey

Nora Beth Dorsey

Chief Special Master

 3 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.