Girl who claims swine flu jab gave her 'severe' level of sleep disorder settles for €1.3m

The court heard the girl has a very high IQ and had wanted to study medicine after school but she will now have to go in a different direction

This is one of a number of settlements announced before the High Court in the past two months of young people who claimed they developed narcolepsy and cataplexy which affects the muscles after receiving the Pandemrix vaccine. File photo: JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP/Getty Images

A 14-year-old girl who claims she developed a rare sleep disorder after getting the swine flu jab has settled her High Court action for €1.325 million.

The teenager who cannot be named by order of the court got the swine flu jab twice, the High Court heard.

She suffers from excessive day-time sleepiness, zones out at school and will need to take medication for the rest of her life, Mr Justice Paul Coffey was told.

This is one of a number of settlements announced before the High Court in the past two months of young people who claimed they developed narcolepsy and cataplexy which affects the muscles after receiving the Pandemrix vaccine.

The settlements follow on the case of a 16-year-old boy who settled his action in November last year. That groundbreaking settlement paved the way for the resolution of 80 cases over the Pandemrix vaccine. It was agreed under the terms of that settlement that 50% of the settlement figure would be paid out.

The court previously heard there are extensive benefits in the settlement which include educational supports, accommodation costs in relation to third-level education, a “gold” medical card as well as childcare costs.

In the latest case, the girl had through her mother sued the Minister for Health, the HSE, and Glaxosmithkline Biologicals SA (GSK)— the producer of Pandemrix. GSK was previously given an indemnity by the State concerning any adverse reactions to the vaccine.

Her counsel, Jonathan Kilfeather SC, told the court she got the Pandemrix vaccine twice, first in November 2009 and again two years later when Counsel said GPs were advised they could give Pandemrix as a flu vaccine.

High care need

The girl, he said, has narcolepsy and cataplexy and it is in the severe scale. He said she suffers from excessive day-time sleepiness and zones out while at school. She has a life-long requirement for medication, Counsel said, and she has had to give up all sports.

Mr Kilfeather said the girl has a very high IQ and had wanted to study medicine after school but she will now have to go in a different direction.

He said she has a high care need. He said the mediator had said she should get the full 50% of the total value of the case instead of a suggested 30% and the settlement reflected that. She is also entitled to all the benefits.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey said he had no hesitation in approving the settlement and he conveyed his very best to the teenager and her parents.