Ashley M. Pietro v. HHS - HPV, Rheumatoid Arthritis (2015)

Ashley M. Pietro filed a petition alleging that she suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis as a result of a Gardasil HPV vaccination she received on August 16, 2011.

The petition was filed on July 24, 2014. After reviewing the record, the Special Master found that the information did not show entitlement to an award.

The petitioner subsequently filed a motion to dismiss her petition, stating that an investigation demonstrated she would be unable to prove her case. The Special Master noted that to receive compensation, the petitioner must prove either a Table Injury or that the vaccine actually caused her injury, neither of which could be established with the available evidence.

As the medical records were insufficient and no medical expert opinion was offered, the petition was dismissed for insufficient proof on May 14, 2015. Later, on June 19, 2015, the parties stipulated to an award of $18,969.50 in attorneys' fees and costs, which the Special Master approved in a decision dated July 13, 2015, entering judgment accordingly.