Vaccine injury award granted in flu shot GBS case
A young woman received a $229,845.14 VICP award after developing Guillain-Barré Syndrome following a seasonal flu vaccine.
By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter
2 min read
A young woman who developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome after a seasonal flu shot has received a $229,845.14 award through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, according to the law firm that represented her. The case highlights how the federal vaccine injury system can compensate individual claims without serving as broad public-health guidance on vaccine risk.
My Vaccine Lawyer said attorney Leigh Finfer represented the woman, who had been healthy and active before receiving a routine flu vaccine in October 2022. The firm described her as a CrossFit athlete who was preparing for her wedding and a honeymoon in New Zealand when symptoms began within weeks of the shot.
Her reported symptoms included severe headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, weakness, ptosis and trouble swallowing. She was admitted to a hospital two days before her wedding, then discharged the next day so she could attend her rehearsal dinner.
By the wedding day, she needed help walking, the firm said. She left the reception early and returned to the hospital that night, and the planned honeymoon was canceled.
Doctors diagnosed her with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a neurological disorder that can cause weakness and, in severe cases, breathing problems. She was treated with IVIG therapy, then went through a recovery that included intubation, ventilator support, sepsis and a lengthy inpatient rehabilitation stay.
The firm said complications continued for more than six months after her discharge. She has since made a full recovery.
The compensation award covered medical expenses, lost earnings and pain and suffering, according to My Vaccine Lawyer. The case puts a spotlight on how a flu vaccine GBS compensation claim can move through the federal program when a petitioner alleges a serious vaccine-related injury.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program handles certain vaccine injury claims through a separate federal process. For claimants, the program can provide a route to compensation for covered injuries and losses; for health officials and the courts, it is also a mechanism that keeps many vaccine-related disputes outside traditional civil litigation.
The client, in a statement released by the firm, said Finfer took time to understand the case and advocated for her throughout the process. No additional details about the woman’s identity, the court record or the timing of the award were disclosed in the announcement.