{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00932","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00932-1","petitioner_identifier":"J.O.","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":14.27,"age_unit_raw":"years","vaccine_type":"Hepatitis A and Menactra","vaccination_date":"2013-02-22","condition_raw":"Crohn's disease","condition_category":"other","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"dismissed","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2015-02-20","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T04:44:20.614059+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":2,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioners alleged that hepatitis A and Menactra vaccines administered on February 22, 2013, to J.O. (born November 9, 1999) caused or significantly aggravated his Crohn's disease. The respondent argued that J.O.'s Crohn's disease symptoms, including diarrhea and weight loss, predated the vaccinations. Medical records from J.O.'s personal care physician and an allergist documented digestive issues and weight loss prior to February 22, 2013. A pediatric gastroenterologist diagnosed Crohn's disease on April 16, 2013, after colonoscopy revealed intestinal ulceration. Petitioners did not file an expert medical report to support their claim. Special Master Laura D. Millman dismissed the case on February 20, 2015, finding that petitioners failed to prove causation by a preponderance of the evidence, as required by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, citing the lack of substantiating medical records and expert opinion. The theory of causation was considered off-Table. Attorneys for petitioners were William E. Cochran, Jr., and for respondent was Lisa A. Watts. On April 14, 2015, the parties stipulated to an award of $15,201.40 for attorneys' fees and costs, consisting of $12,454.50 in fees and $2,746.90 in costs, payable jointly to petitioners and their counsel.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2014-10-02","case_summary":"On October 2, 2014, petitioners Debi Oliveira and Tony Oliveira, on behalf of their minor son J.O., filed a petition alleging that the hepatitis A and Menactra vaccines administered on February 22, 2013, caused or significantly aggravated J.O.'s Crohn's disease. J.O. was born on November 9, 1999. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, argued that J.O.'s Crohn's disease began before the vaccinations and that the petitioners failed to provide an expert medical report to support their claim of significant aggravation. Special Master Laura D. Millman presided over the case. The public decision does not describe the specific clinical story of J.O.'s Crohn's disease beyond what is contained in the medical records. Medical records indicated that J.O. experienced digestive issues, including diarrhea and weight loss, prior to his vaccinations. His personal care physician, Dr. Anthony Marinello, noted concerns about potential food allergies to milk and gluten based on J.O.'s prior complaints of adverse reactions to these foods. Approximately three months before his vaccination, J.O. began experiencing diarrhea associated with meals. He also reported dark red blood in his stool about a week before seeing an allergist on March 7, 2013, and had experienced vomiting two days prior to that. Despite attempting to gain weight by increasing his intake of milk, pasta, and wheat over the preceding six months, J.O. had been losing weight. Allergy testing for cow's milk and wheat was negative. On March 28, 2013, J.O. saw pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Nikki Allmendinger, who noted similar symptoms, including daily diarrhea, occasional blood in stool, abdominal pain, and poor weight gain, despite increased caloric intake. Dr. Allmendinger diagnosed J.O. with disorder of the intestine, ulceration of the intestine, diarrhea, and blood in his stool on April 8, 2013, and subsequently diagnosed Crohn's disease on April 16, 2013. The petitioners' counsel, William E. Cochran, Jr., stated he was looking for a medical expert. The respondent's counsel was Lisa A. Watts. Special Master Millman granted the petitioners' oral motion to dismiss the case on February 19, 2015, finding that they failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the vaccines caused or significantly aggravated J.O.'s Crohn's disease, as required by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. The decision noted that the medical records did not substantiate the petitioners' claims and that no expert medical opinion had been filed. Subsequently, on April 14, 2015, the parties stipulated to an award for attorneys' fees and costs. Special Master Millman approved a total award of $15,201.40, consisting of $12,454.50 in attorneys' fees and $2,746.90 in attorneys' costs, payable jointly to J.O. and his parents and their counsel, Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C.","is_minor_inferred":1,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Laura D. Millman","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"William E. Cochran, Jr.","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C.","petitioner_attorney_location":"Memphis, TN","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|william-cochran|","firm_canonical_key":"black-mclaren-jones-ryland-and-griffee","package_title":"OLIVEIRA et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00932","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00932.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00932.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-00932-0","title":"OLIVEIRA et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 02/20/2015) regarding 14 DECISION of Special Master Signed by Special Master Laura D Millman. 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