# In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

No. 13

- 757 V

Filed: December 12, 2014

Not for P ublication

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

BRENDA DARLENE RICHARDSON

, *

*

Petitioner

, *

*

* Damages decision based on stipulation;

v. * influenza (flu) vaccine; Guillain

- Barré

* Syndrome (GBS)

SECRETARY OF HEALTH *

AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

*

Respondent. *

*

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

Elizabeth M. Muldowney

, Richmond, VA

, for petitioner

. Glenn A. MacLeod , Washington, DC, for respondent.

MILLMAN, Special Master

DECISION AWARDING DAMAGES 1

On December 12 , 2014 , the parties filed the attached stipulation in which they agreed to

settle this case and described the settlement terms. Petitioner allege s that she suffered

Guillain

- Barré Syndrome (“GBS”) that w as caused by her October 20, 2011

, receipt of influenza

(“flu ”) vaccine

. Petitioner further allege s that she suffe r ed the residual effects of this injury for

more than six months. Respondent denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner’s GBS or any

other injury and further denies that her current disabilities are a sequela of a vaccine

- rela ted injury

.

1 Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned exp lanation for the special master’ s action in this

case, the special master intends to post this unpublished decision on the United States Court of Federal

Claims’ s website, in accordance with the E

- Government Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107

- 347, 116 Stat. 2899,

2913 (Dec. 17, 2002). Vaccine Rule 18(b) states that all decisions of the special masters will be made

available to the public unless they contain trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is

privileged and confidential, or medical or similar information whose disclosure would constitute a clearly

unwarranted invasion of privacy. When such a decision is filed, petitioner has 14 days to identify a nd

move to delete such information prior to the document ’ s disclosure. If the special master, upon review,

agrees that the identified material fits within the banned categories listed above, the special master shall

delete such material from public access

.2

Nonetheless, the parties agreed to resolve this matter informally

.

The undersigned finds the terms of the stipulation to be reasonable. The court hereby

adopts the parties ’ said stipulation, attached her eto, and awards compensation in the amount and

o n the terms set forth therein. Pursuant to the stipulation, the court awards a lump sum of

$2 0 0 ,000.00

, representing reimbursement for all damages that would be available under 42 U.S.C.

§ 300aa

- 15(a) (2006). The award shall be in the form of a check payable to petitioner in the

amount of $2 0 0 ,000.00.

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

court is directed to enter judgment herewith. 2

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 12, 2014 s/ Laura D. Millman

Laura D. Millman

Special Master

2 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by each party , either separately or

jointly, filing a notice renouncing the right to seek review.