{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227-0","petitioner_identifier":"M.V.","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":"years (minor - age not in source, verified)","vaccine_type":null,"vaccination_date":"2012-03-16","condition_raw":"neurological symptoms, including speech delay and developmental delay","condition_category":"developmental_delay_regression","autism_spectrum_adjacent":1,"outcome":"dismissed","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2016-01-29","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T00:35:57.005929+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":null,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioner Keith Varela, on behalf of minor M.V., alleged that \"over-vaccination\" on March 16, 2012, caused neurological symptoms including speech and developmental delay. The petition was filed on January 6, 2016. The respondent disputed compensation. The Special Master ordered an expert report, which Petitioner failed to file despite multiple deadlines. Petitioner then filed an unopposed motion to dismiss, stating he was unlikely to meet his burden of proof due to newly discovered evidence and intending to pursue civil action. The Special Master dismissed the case for insufficient proof, finding no evidence of a \"Table Injury\" and insufficient persuasive evidence that the vaccinations actually caused the alleged injury or that it lasted more than six months. The petition lacked the required medical records or competent physician's opinion to support the claim. No specific medical experts were named in the public decision, and the mechanism of injury was not detailed. The case was dismissed without an award. Special Master Brian H. Corcoran issued the decision on January 29, 2016. Attorneys for Petitioner were Andrew D. Downing and for Respondent were Ryan Pyles.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2016-01-06","case_summary":"Keith Varela filed a petition on January 6, 2016, on behalf of his minor child, M.V., seeking compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The petition alleged that \"over-vaccination\" on March 16, 2012, caused M.V. to develop neurological symptoms, including speech delay and developmental delay. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, disputed compensation. Following the filing of medical records and the respondent's report disputing compensation, the Special Master ordered the petitioner to file an expert report to support his claim. The petitioner missed several deadlines for filing this expert report, despite having over six months to do so, and ultimately did not file the report. On January 6, 2016, the petitioner filed an unopposed motion for a decision dismissing his petition, stating he was unlikely to succeed in meeting his burden of proof due to newly discovered evidence and that he intended to pursue civil action later. The respondent did not object to the motion. The Special Master noted that to receive compensation, a petitioner must prove either a \"Table Injury\" corresponding to a vaccination or that a vaccine actually caused the injury and that it lasted more than six months. The Special Master found no evidence in the record of a \"Table Injury.\" Furthermore, the record did not contain sufficient persuasive evidence establishing that the alleged injury could have been caused by the vaccinations or that it lasted more than six months. The Special Master also noted that a petition must be supported by medical records or the opinion of a competent physician, and that the petitioner had not offered an expert opinion supporting his claim. Consequently, the case was dismissed for insufficient proof. The Clerk was ordered to enter judgment accordingly.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Brian H. Corcoran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Andrew D. Downing","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Van Cott & Talamante, PLLC","petitioner_attorney_location":"Phoenix, AZ","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|andrew-downing|","firm_canonical_key":"van-cott-and-talamante","package_title":"VARELA v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227-0","title":"VARELA v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 1/6/2016) regarding 26 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Brian H. Corcoran. (ag) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2016-01-29","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":262546,"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-01227/USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_14-vv-01227-1","title":"VARELA v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 06/22/2016) Regarding 36 DECISION of Special Master - Fees (Signed by Special Master Brian H. Corcoran). (ay) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2016-08-15","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}