United States Court of Federal Claims, 2024

Niles v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided April 8, 2024 · Christian J. Moran

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS

************************* SUSAN NILES, * No. 22-1316V

Petitioner, *

* Special Master Christian J. Moran v. *

* Filed: March 14, 2024 SECRETARY OF HEALTH * AND HUMAN SERVICES, *

Respondent. *

************************* Robert P. Goodwin, Walsh Roberts & Grace, Buffalo, NY, for Petitioner; Neil Bhargava, United States Dep’t of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

UNPUBLISHED DECISION 1

On March 14, 2024 the parties filed a joint stipulation concerning the petition for compensation filed by Susan Niles on Septenber 16, 2022. Petitioner alleged that the influenza (“flu”) vaccine she received on October 7, 2019, which is contained in the Vaccine Injury Table (the “Table”), 42 C.F.R. §100.3(a), caused her to suffer from Guillain-Barré syndrome (“GBS”) as defined in the Table and/or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (“CIDP”). Petitioner further alleges that she suffered the residual effects of this injury for more than six months. Petitioner represents that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages on her behalf as a result of her condition.

Respondent denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner to suffer from GBS and/or CIDP, and further denies that the flu vaccine caused petitioner to suffer from any other injury or her current condition.

Nevertheless, the parties agree to the joint stipulation, attached hereto. The undersigned finds said stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Damages awarded in that stipulation include:

A lump sum of $145,000.00 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).

In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC, Appendix B, the clerk is directed to enter judgment according to this decision and the attached stipulation. 2

IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Christian J. Moran Christian J. Moran Special Master

1 Because this Decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action taken in this case, it must be made publicly accessible and will be posted on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, and/or at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts/national/cofc, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2018) (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), the parties have 14 days to identify and move to redact medical or other information, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. Any changes will appear in the document posted on the website. 2 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), the parties can expedite entry of judgment by each party filing a notice renouncing the right to seek review by a United States Court of Federal Claims judge.

Case-law data current through September 30, 2026. Source: CourtListener bulk data.