Mother of Five Awarded $153,000 After Flu Vaccine Causes Guillain-Barré Syndrome
A mother of five children was awarded $153,000 through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) after developing Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) following a seasonal flu vaccination. Attorney Jessi Huff, of mctlaw, represented her in the claim and secured compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial impact of our client’s injury.
At the time of the vaccination, the client was healthy, active, and managing the full demands of parenting five children. She was previously employed as a teacher, but she had to leave her job so that she could provide full time care for her disabled daughter. She managed to work part-time cleaning homes to help provide financially for her family, and maintained an active lifestyle that included regular exercise. She had no previous health concerns or limitations that interfered with her ability to care for her children or perform physical work.
Her symptoms began nine days after getting the flu vaccine in October 2022. What started as pain in the back of her leg progressed rapidly. She began to experience widespread body aches, tingling in her hands and feet, and increasing muscle stiffness. Within hours, she lost the ability to walk without assistance. At the emergency room, she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
Her condition worsened quickly. She became fully dependent on others for basic daily tasks including eating, bathing, and dressing. The paralysis eventually affected the muscles in her face, making it difficult to speak, swallow, or blink. She had to relearn how to walk, balance, and perform simple movements like holding a toothbrush or feeding herself. Throughout her recovery, she experienced constant pain, limited sleep, and overwhelming physical exhaustion. She was no longer able to work part time cleaning houses, and she could no longer provide the full time care that her daughter required.
“The hardest part for my client was the loss of the ability to care for her child with significant disabilities,” says attorney Jessi Huff. “This dedicated mother always planned for her daughter to live at home into adulthood, but because of the injury, she now had to find full-time care somewhere else, and that was gut wrenching.”
Ms. Huff and the mctlaw vaccine injury legal team were able to maximize the outcome for our client, which eased the financial burden of her injury and helped give her peace of mind that her experience has been heard. “This program keeps failing to recognize what it means when our clients lose the ability to care for someone full-time, and we’re committed to rectifying that,” adds Ms. Huff.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome and the Flu Vaccine
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare neurological condition where the immune system attacks the body’s own nerves. In some cases, GBS can be triggered by a flu vaccination. The condition is listed on the Vaccine Injury Table and may qualify for compensation through the VICP when symptoms develop within the recognized timeframe.
National Legal Representation for Vaccine Injury
mctlaw represents clients across the country in vaccine injury claims filed through the VICP. Our attorneys manage each step of the legal process, including medical record collection, claim preparation, and filing. There are no legal fees charged to clients. Attorney fees are paid separately by the VICP and do not reduce the award amount.
