In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS 

No. 15-1413V 

Filed: April 13, 2016 

UNPUBLISHED 

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

JEFF CARDELLO, * 

* 

Petitioner, * Joint Stipulation on Damages;

* Influenza (“Flu”) Vaccine; Guillain-

* Barré Syndrome (“GBS”); Special

SECRETARY OF HEALTH * Processing Unit (“SPU”)

AND HUMAN SERVICES, * 

 * 

Respondent. * 

 * 

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

Andrew Donald Downing, Van Cott & Talamante, PLLC, Phoenix, AZ, for petitioner. 

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

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master: 

On November 23, 2015, Jeff Cardello (“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 GuillainBarré syndrome (“GBS”) as a result of an influenza (“flu”) vaccine he received on 

January 13, 2013. Petition at 1, 3; Stipulation, filed 4/12/2016, ¶ 4. Petitioner further 

alleges that he experienced the residual effects of this injury for more than six months. 

Petition at 3; Stipulation¶ 4. “Respondent denies that the flu immunization caused 

petitioner’s GBS and/or any other injury or his current condition.” Stipulation, ¶ 6. 

Nevertheless, on April 12, 2016, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, 

stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned 

finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding 

damages, on the terms set forth therein. 

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, the 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

v.
2 

The parties stipulate that petitioner shall receive the following compensation: 

A lump sum of $140,401.20, in the form of a check payable to petitioner. 

Stipulation, ¶ 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.