MMR campaigner from Warrington wins 90,000 pound payment

29 August 2010

The mother of a Cheshire teenager who was left severely brain damaged by the MMR vaccine has won a compensation award from the government.

Robert Fletcher, 18, from Warrington, suffered a fit 10 days after he had the vaccination when he was 13 months old.

His mother Jackie received the £90,000 payout from a medical assessment panel last week.

The family successfully appealed after their application for compensation was originally turned down in 1997.

They had originally applied through the Government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

Robert has frequent epileptic fits, is unable to talk, stand unaided or feed himself, but is not autistic.

‘Outstanding safety record’

Mrs Fletcher always believed that her son’s epilepsy was triggered by the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

The ruling and compensation award was made by a jury made up of a judge and two doctors.