In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 18-782V

Filed: April 14, 2020

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

THOMAS BECKTOLD, * UNPUBLISHED

*

Petitioner, * Decision on Joint Stipulation;

* Chronic Inflammatory 

v. * Demyelinating Polyneuropathy;

* (“CIDP”); Tetanus-diphtheriaSECRETARY OF HEALTH * acellular pertussis (“Tdap”)

AND HUMAN SERVICES, * Vaccine.

*

Respondent. *

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

Bridget McCullough, Esq., Muller Brazil, LLP, Dresher, PA, for petitioner.

Sarah Duncan, Esq., US Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

Roth, Special Master:

On June 4, 2018, Thomas Becktold [“Mr. Becktold” or “petitioner”] filed a petition for 

compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

2 Petitioner alleges that 

he suffered from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuritis (“CIDP”)3after receiving a 

tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccination on April 1, 2016. Stipulation, filed Apr. 14, 

2020, at ¶¶ 1-4. Respondent denies that the aforementioned immunization caused petitioner’s 

injury. Stipulation at ¶ 6.

 

1 Although this Decision has been formally designated “unpublished,” it will nevertheless be posted on the 

Court of Federal Claims’s website, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-

347, 116 Stat. 2899, 2913 (codified as amended at 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2006)). This means the Decision 

will be available to anyone with access to the internet. However, the parties may object to the Decision’s 

inclusion of certain kinds of confidential information. Specifically, under Vaccine Rule 18(b), each party 

has fourteen days within which to request redaction “of any information furnished by that party: (1) that is 

a trade secret or commercial or financial in substance and is privileged or confidential; or (2) that includes 

medical files or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of 

privacy.” Vaccine Rule 18(b). Otherwise, the whole Decision will be available to the public. Id.

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).

3 As noted by respondent, CIDP technically stands for chronic inflammatory demyelinating 

polyneuropathy. Stipulation at 1 n.1 (emphasis in original). 
2

Nevertheless, the parties have agreed to settle the case. On April 14, 2020, the parties filed 

a joint stipulation agreeing to settle this case and describing the settlement terms.

 

Respondent agrees to issue the following payment:

A lump sum of $110,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner, Thomas 

Becktold. This amount represents compensation for all damages that would be 

available under § 300aa-15(a).

I adopt the parties’ stipulation attached hereto, and award compensation in the amount and 

on the terms set forth therein. The clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance 

with this decision.4

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/ Mindy Michaels Roth

 Mindy Michaels Roth

 Special Master

 

4 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by each party filing a notice 

renouncing the right to seek review.