{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-3","petitioner_identifier":"Sallyann Abbott","is_minor":null,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":"years (no age in source - verified)","vaccine_type":"human papillomavirus and meningococcal","vaccination_date":"2007-08-17","condition_raw":"syncopal seizure and post-vaccination encephalopathy","condition_category":"encephalitis_encephalopathy","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"compensated","award_amount_usd":80000,"decision_date":"2017-11-16","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T02:42:12.367286+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":null,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":0,"theory_of_causation":"HPV + meningococcal vaccines Aug 17, 2007 → syncopal seizure + post-vaccination encephalopathy. Joint stipulation June 16, 2016; respondent denied causation; $80,000. SM Moran fees $150,499.04 (reduced from $193,955.15: vague billing + baseless opposition to fact hearing). CFC Wolski Nov 16, 2017: DENIED review, SUSTAINED. decision_date corrected: 2016-07-15 → 2017-11-16 (granule 3 date_issued; CFC fees review decision).","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2010-07-28","case_summary":"Sallyann Abbott filed a petition on July 28, 2010, alleging that human papillomavirus and meningococcal vaccines she received on or about August 17, 2007 caused her to suffer a syncopal seizure and post-vaccination encephalopathy, with residual effects lasting more than six months.\n\nA factual dispute arose during the proceedings regarding whether petitioner had experienced a seizure at her pediatrician's office after vaccination. Two of petitioner's medical experts had relied on this seizure as a predicate for their opinions. Special Master Moran ordered a fact hearing with testimony from office staff present at the time of the vaccination, but petitioner's counsel opposed the introduction of these witnesses. The special master found petitioner's opposition to be baseless, because percipient witness testimony was necessary to establish the foundational predicate for petitioner's experts' opinions.\n\nOn June 16, 2016, the parties filed a joint stipulation. Respondent denied that the vaccines caused petitioner's syncopal seizure, post-vaccination encephalopathy, or any other injury. Nevertheless, the parties agreed to resolve the case by stipulation, and Special Master Moran found the stipulation reasonable and adopted it as the decision of the Court. Petitioner received a lump sum of $80,000.00, representing compensation for all damages available under 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-15(a).\n\nPetitioner applied for attorneys' fees and costs of $193,955.15. On April 26, 2017, Special Master Moran awarded $150,499.04, making reductions to hours billed by attorneys Christina Ciampolillo (30% reduction for vague billing entries and for the baseless opposition to the fact witness hearing) and Sylvia Chin-Caplan (10% reduction for vague billing entries), and adjusting certain expert witness rates. Petitioner was also awarded $400.16 in personally incurred costs.\n\nPetitioner moved for review of the attorneys' fees decision. The Court of Federal Claims, Judge Wolski, issued a memorandum opinion on October 31, 2017, reissued for publication on November 16, 2017, denying the motion for review and sustaining the special master's decision. The court found that the special master had conducted a line-by-line analysis of the billing records, identified specific vague entries, and did not abuse his discretion in making the percentage reductions. The court also found that the special master's conclusion that petitioner's opposition to the fact hearing was without basis was not arbitrary or capricious.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Christian J. Moran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Ronald Craig Homer","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan, P.C.","petitioner_attorney_location":"Boston, MA","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|ronald-homer|","firm_canonical_key":"conway-homer","package_title":"ABBOTT v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-0","title":"ABBOTT v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC ORDER/RULING (Originally filed: 2/10/2015) regarding 158 Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (tpj) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2015-10-22","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":234315,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'findings of fact'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-1","title":"ABBOTT v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 6/20/16) regarding 197 DECISION Stipulation/Proffer. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (dh) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2016-07-15","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":1422793,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'stipulation'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-2","title":"ABBOTT v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 04/26/2017) regarding 209 DECISION of Special Master - Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (SP) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-05-22","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-3","title":"ABBOTT v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 10/31/2017) regarding 219 Order on Motion for Review, Judge Vaccine Order/Opinion Signed by Judge Victor J. Wolski. (jp) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-11-16","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-3/pdf","pdf_bytes":259971,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'opinion'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485/USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-3"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_10-vv-00485-4","title":"ABBOTT v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 5/23/2018) regarding 224 DECISION of Special Master - Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (abs) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2018-05-30","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}