{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-1","petitioner_identifier":"NICOLE MATTEN as parent and legal Representative of the Estate of her Daughter, KM","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":7.0,"age_unit_raw":"years","vaccine_type":"influenza","vaccination_date":"2011-12-02","condition_raw":"eosinophilic and/or hypersensitivity myocarditis leading to death","condition_category":"death","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"entitlement_granted_pending_damages","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2021-12-03","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T04:37:32.369082+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":2,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioner Nicole Matten filed on behalf of her daughter, K.M., alleging that K.M. died from an influenza vaccine received on December 2, 2011. K.M., age seven, developed symptoms including headache, fever, vomiting, lethargy, and difficulty breathing within days of vaccination, ultimately suffering cardiac arrest and death on December 6, 2011. The autopsy revealed myocarditis. Petitioner's experts, Drs. Laurel Waters and Anthony Chang, opined that the flu vaccine, in conjunction with an asymptomatic parainfluenza virus type 1 infection, caused K.M. to develop eosinophilic and/or hypersensitivity myocarditis, leading to her death. They proposed a theory of cellular immunity and hypersensitivity reaction, where the vaccine acted as a subsequent immune challenge to an already activated immune system due to the parainfluenza infection, leading to an overstimulation and release of cytokines and eosinophils, causing myocardial damage. Respondent's experts, Drs. Sara Vargas and James Perry, initially argued for viral myocarditis due to parainfluenza virus type 1. Dr. Vargas later shifted her opinion to bacterial pneumonia and sepsis as the cause of death. Special Master Mindy Michaels Roth found that K.M. died from eosinophilic and/or hypersensitivity myocarditis, and that the flu vaccine was a substantial factor in her death, while the respondent failed to prove an alternative cause. The case was entitled to compensation and proceeded to damages. Attorneys involved were Patricia Finn, Esq., for the petitioner and Jamica Littles, Esq., for the respondent. The decision date was December 3, 2021.","is_death":1,"date_of_death":"2011-12-06","petition_filed_date":"2012-03-06","case_summary":"On March 6, 2012, Nicole Matten, as the parent and legal representative of her daughter, K.M., filed a petition under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The petition alleged that K.M., a seven-year-old girl, died as a result of an influenza vaccine administered on December 2, 2011. K.M. was described as healthy prior to vaccination. Within days of receiving the vaccine, she developed symptoms including headache, fever, vomiting, lethargy, confusion, body aches, and difficulty breathing. She suffered cardiac arrest and died on December 6, 2011. The autopsy revealed myocarditis. Petitioner's experts, Drs. Lawrence Palevsky, Laurel Waters, and Anthony Chang, opined that the flu vaccine, possibly in conjunction with an asymptomatic parainfluenza virus type 1 infection, caused K.M. to develop eosinophilic and/or hypersensitivity myocarditis, leading to her death. Respondent's experts, Drs. Sara Vargas and James Perry, initially argued for viral myocarditis due to parainfluenza virus type 1. Dr. Vargas later shifted her opinion to bacterial pneumonia and sepsis as the cause of death, while Dr. Perry maintained viral myocarditis. Special Master Mindy Michaels Roth reviewed extensive medical records, autopsy findings, and expert testimony. The Special Master found that K.M. died from eosinophilic and/or hypersensitivity myocarditis. The Special Master determined that the petitioner met the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the flu vaccination was a substantial factor in causing K.M.'s death. The Special Master also found that the respondent failed to prove an alternative cause of death, such as bacterial pneumonia. Consequently, the case was found to be entitled to compensation, and it proceeded to the damages phase. Patricia Finn, Esq., represented the petitioner, and Jamica Littles, Esq., represented the respondent. The decision was issued on December 3, 2021.","is_minor_inferred":1,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Mindy Michaels Roth","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":"NICOLE MATTEN as parent and legal Representative of the Estate of her Daughter, KM","petitioner_attorney_name":"Patricia Finn","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Patricia Finn Attorney, P.C.","petitioner_attorney_location":"Piermont, NY","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":"2026-05-05 23:44:49","attorney_canonical_keys":"|patricia-finn|","firm_canonical_key":"patricia-finn-attorney","package_title":"MATTEN v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-0","title":"MATTEN v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION Signed by Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey. (tjk) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2014-01-08","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"no decision/ruling/opinion signal in docketText","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-cl-extra-2651593","title":"Nicole Matten, Individually and as Guardian of the Late Km v. Secretary of Health and Human Services","docket_text":"Supplementary opinion from CourtListener cluster 2651593","date_issued":"2014-01-08","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"CL supplement: Nicole Matten, Individually and as Guardian of the Late Km v","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-cl-extra-2651593"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-1","title":"MATTEN v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC ORDER/RULING (Originally filed: 11/02/2021) regarding 184 Ruling on Entitlement. Signed by Special Master Mindy Michaels Roth. (msg) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2021-12-03","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":724524,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'ruling on entitlement'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-2","title":"MATTEN v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 1/31/2022) regarding 190 DECISION - Proffer. Signed by Special Master Mindy Michaels Roth. (msg) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2022-03-01","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-2/pdf","pdf_bytes":462798,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword ' proffer'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155/USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-2"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_12-vv-00155-3","title":"MATTEN v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 5/30/2023) regarding 200 DECISION of Special Master - Fees. Signed by Special Master Mindy Michaels Roth. (msg) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2023-06-27","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}