In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 13-462V

Filed: July 2, 2014

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UNPUBLISHED

PATSY NASH RUSSELL, * 

 * Special Master Dorsey

Petitioner, *

 * Joint Stipulation on Damages;

v. * Tetanus Vaccination;

 * Guillain Barré Syndrome (“GBS”).

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * 

AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

 *

Respondent. *

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

Thomas Gallagher, Somers Point, NJ, for petitioner.

Gordon Shemin, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION1

On July 5, 2013, Patsy Nash Russell (“petitioner”) filed a petition pursuant to the 

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

2 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2006). 

Petitioner alleged that she received a tetanus vaccine on September 26, 2010, and that she 

thereafter suffered from Guillain Barré syndrome (“GBS”) which was caused in fact by the 

vaccination. See Petition at 1. 

On July 2, 2014, the parties filed a stipulation in which they agree that a decision should 

be entered awarding compensation. 

1 Because this decision contains a reasoned explanation for the undersigned’s action in this case, 

the undersigned intends to post this ruling on the website of the United States Court of Federal 

Claims, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-347, § 205, 116 

Stat. 2899, 2913 (codified as amended at 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2006)). As provided by 

Vaccine Rule 18(b), each party has 14 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).

2 The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is set forth in Part 2 of the National 

Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755, codified as amended, 

42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (2006) (Vaccine Act or the Act). All citations in this decision to 

individual sections of the Vaccine Act are to 42 U.S.C.A. § 300aa.

1

 
Respondent denies that the tetanus immunization is the cause of petitioner’s alleged GBS, 

and/or any other injury. Nevertheless, the parties agree to the joint stipulation, attached hereto as 

Appendix A. The 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 stipulated that petitioner shall receive the following compensation:

A lump sum of $40,000.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner. This

amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under 

42 U.S.C. §300aa-15(a). 

Stipulation ¶ 8. 

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

Accordingly, an award should be made consistent with the stipulation. 

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

the court SHALL ENTER JUDGMENT in accordance with the terms of the parties’ 

stipulation.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/ Nora Beth Dorsey

 Nora Beth Dorsey

Special Master

3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment is expedited by the parties’ joint filing of 

notice renouncing the right to seek review.

2

 
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