# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 17

- 1466 V

UNPUBLISHED

ROBERT SNEATHEN,
as Personal Repr esentative of the

ESTATE OF SANDRA SNEATHEN

,

Petitioner,

v.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES,

Respondent. Chief Special Master Corcoran

Filed: June 16, 2020

,

Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint Stipulation on Damages; Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; Guillain

- Barre Syndrome (GBS)

Alison H. Haskins, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Sarasota, FL , for petitioner.

Camille Michelle Collett , U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION 1

On October 6, 2017

, Sandra Sneathen 2 filed a filed a petition for compensation

under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa

- 10, et

seq

. , 3 ( the “Vaccine Act” )

. Petitioner alleges that an influenza vaccination administered on August 29, 2015 caused Sandra Sneathen to develop Guillain

- Barr é Syndrome (GBS) and that she experienced the residual effects of this condition for more than six

months. Petition at 1, 3 ; Stipulation , issued June 16, 2020

, at ¶ 4

. “Respondent denies

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am required to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website in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). 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 o f 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 On June 25, 2019, Sandra Sneat hen passed away. On August 15, 2019, Robert Sneathen was
appointed personal representative of Sandra Sneathen ’ s estate. On August 28, 2019, this cou rt granted

Pe titioner ’ s motion to substit ute Robert Sneathen as the Petitioner herein.

3 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 subpara graph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2012 ).2 that the influenza immuni zation is the cause of Sandra Sneathen ’ s alleged [GBS] or any other injury or her death, and further denies that Ms. Sneathen suffered a GBS Table injury

. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6.

Nevertheless, o n June 16, 2020

, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. I find the stipulation reasonable and adopt it as my decision awarding damages, on the terms set forth

therein.

Pursuant to the term s stated in the attached Stipulation

, I award the following
compensation:

A lump sum of $ 150,000.00 in the form of a check payable to P etitioner , as the legal representative of the Estate of Sandra Sneathen

. Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages that wo uld be

available under § 15 (a). Id

.

I approve the requested amount for P etitioner’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. 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.