{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920-1","petitioner_identifier":"L.Z.","is_minor":null,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":"years (no age in source - verified)","vaccine_type":"influenza","vaccination_date":"2011-10-16","condition_raw":"Multiple Sclerosis (“MS”)","condition_category":"other","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"denied","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2018-11-05","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T00:34:41.722072+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":21,"theory_of_causation":"Off-Table","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2014-08-24","case_summary":"L.Z. filed a petition alleging that the influenza vaccine received on October 16, 2011, caused her to suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS), or significantly aggravated a pre-existing neurological condition. The court found that L.Z.'s MS likely predated her vaccination, based on pre-vaccination neurological symptoms and MRI findings. Therefore, the claim that the vaccine directly caused MS was denied. The court also considered the alternative claim that the vaccine significantly aggravated her MS. Petitioner's expert, Dr. Napoli, argued that the flu vaccine could cause MS exacerbations through molecular mimicry and that L.Z.'s symptoms worsened post-vaccination. Respondent's expert, Dr. Venkatesan, countered that the flu vaccine does not cause MS relapses and that the scientific literature, including studies like Confavreux and DeStefano, showed no association between flu vaccines and MS exacerbation. The court found that L.Z. failed to establish a plausible causation theory that the flu vaccine could exacerbate an existing MS condition or that her MS course was significantly worsened by the vaccine beyond its natural progression. The court noted that while the vaccine might have temporally correlated with a relapse, this temporal relationship alone was insufficient to prove causation. Ultimately, the court denied entitlement because L.Z. did not meet her burden of proof.","is_minor_inferred":null,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Brian H. Corcoran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Ronald Craig Homer","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Conway, Homer, 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":"Z. v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920-0","title":"Z. v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC ORDER (Originally filed: 9/25/2018) Regarding 63 Order on Motion to Redact (Signed by Special Master Brian H. Corcoran). (cr) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2018-11-05","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"docketText matches skip keyword 'motion'","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920-1","title":"Z. v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 8/24/2018) Regarding 58 DECISION of Special Master (Signed by Special Master Brian H. Corcoran). (cr) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2018-11-05","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":414945,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'decision of special master'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00920-2","title":"Z. v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 11/15/2018) Regarding 71 DECISION of Special Master - Fees (Signed by Special Master Brian H. Corcoran). (cr) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2019-03-15","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}