In the United States Court of Federal Claims 

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 18-0233V

UNPUBLISHED

GINA BECK,

 Petitioner,

v.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES,

 Respondent.

Chief Special Master Corcoran 

Filed: July 20, 2020

Special Processing Unit (SPU); 

Damages Decision Based on Proffer; 

Influenza (Flu) Vaccine; GuillainBarre Syndrome (GBS)

Joseph Alexander Vuckovich, Maglio Christopher & Toale, PA, Washington, DC, for 

petitioner.

Linda Sara Renzi, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES1

On February 15, 2018, Gina Beck 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 she suffered Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) as a 

result of her March 8, 2015 influenza (“flu”) vaccination. Petition at 1. Petitioner further 

alleges that she experienced sequelae of her GBS for more than six months. Petition at 

2. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special 

Masters.

On December 19, 2018, a ruling on entitlement was issued, finding Petitioner 

entitled to compensation for GBS. ECF 24. On July 20, 2020, Respondent filed a proffer 

on award of compensation (“Proffer”) indicating Petitioner should be awarded 

 1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, I am 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 EGovernment 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 of 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 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

$1,083,725.96. Proffer at 2. Specifically, Respondent proffers that Petitioner should be 

awarded $140,000.00 in pain and suffering and $943,725.96 in lost wages. ECF 50. In 

the Proffer, Respondent represented that Petitioner agrees with the proffered award. Id. 

Based on the record as a whole, I find that Petitioner is entitled to an award as stated in 

the Proffer.

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Proffer, I award Petitioner a lump 

sum payment of $1,083,725.96 in the form of a check payable to Petitioner. This 

amount represents compensation for all damages that would be available under § 15(a). 

The clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this 

decision.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Brian H. Corcoran

Brian H. Corcoran

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.
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

____________________________________

)

GINA BECK, )

)

Petitioner, )

) No. 18-233V

v. ) Chief Special Master

) Brian H. Corcoran

) ECF

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND ) 

HUMAN SERVICES, )

)

Respondent. )

____________________________________) 

RESPONDENT’S PROFFER ON AWARD OF COMPENSATION

On February 15, 2018, Gina Beck (“petitioner”) filed a petition for compensation under 

the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 to -34 (“Vaccine Act” 

or “Act”), alleging that she suffered Guillain-Barré Syndrome (“GBS”), following administration 

of an influenza vaccine on March 8, 2015. Petition at 1. On December 17, 2018, the Secretary 

of Health and Human Services (“respondent”) filed a Rule 4(c) Report indicating that this case is 

appropriate for compensation under the terms of the Act for GBS, and on December 19, 2018,

the Chief Special Master issued a Ruling on Entitlement finding petitioner entitled to 

compensation. ECF No. 23; ECF No. 24.

I. Items of Compensation

A. Pain and Suffering

Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded $140,000.00 in pain and suffering. 

See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(4). Petitioner agrees.
2

B. Lost Wages

Evidence supplied by petitioner documents that she incurred past and future lost wages as 

a result of her vaccine-related injury. Respondent proffers that petitioner should be awarded lost 

wages in the amount of $943,725.96. See 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a)(3)(A). Petitioner agrees.

These amounts represent all elements of compensation to which petitioner is entitled 

under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a). Petitioner agrees. 

II. Form of the Award

Petitioner is a competent adult. Evidence of guardianship is not required in this case. 

Respondent recommends that the compensation provided to petitioner should be made through a 

lump sum payment as described below and requests that the Chief Special Master’s decision and 

the Court’s judgment award the following1

: a lump sum payment of $1,083,725.96, in the form 

of a check payable to petitioner. 

III. Summary of Recommended Payments Following Judgment

Lump sum payable to petitioner, Gina Beck: $1,083,725.96

Respectfully submitted, 

ETHAN P. DAVIS

Acting Assistant Attorney General 

C. SALVATORE D’ALESSIO

Acting Director 

Torts Branch, Civil Division 

CATHARINE E. REEVES 

Deputy Director

Torts Branch, Civil Division 

 1 Should petitioner die prior to entry of judgment, the parties reserve the right to move the Court 

for appropriate relief. In particular, respondent would oppose any award for future lost earnings 

and future pain and suffering.
3

ALEXIS B. BABCOCK

Assistant Director 

Torts Branch, Civil Division

/s/ Linda S. Renzi 

Linda S. Renzi

Senior Trial Counsel

Torts Branch, Civil Division

U.S. Department of Justice

P.O. Box 146

Benjamin Franklin Station

Washington, D.C. 20044-0146

Tel: (202) 616-4133

DATED: July 20, 2020