{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-3","petitioner_identifier":"Joseph Bourche","is_minor":0,"age_at_vaccination":55.0,"age_unit_raw":"years","vaccine_type":"hepatitis B","vaccination_date":"2014-04-23","condition_raw":"vasculitis, IgA nephropathy, endocarditis","condition_category":"other","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"denied","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2020-02-05","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T04:46:06.803711+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Off-Table","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2020-01-07","case_summary":"Mari Bourche, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Joseph Bourche, filed a claim alleging that the hepatitis B vaccine administered to her husband on April 23, 2014, caused vasculitis, which in turn led to a staph infection, endocarditis, and ultimately his death on January 16, 2016. Mr. Bourche, born in 1959, had pre-existing kidney disease requiring dialysis and a pacemaker for heart trouble prior to the vaccination. Petitioner's theory was that the vaccine induced immune complexes, leading to vasculitis, which allowed bacteria to enter his body, causing a heart valve infection (endocarditis) and contributing to his death. Respondent argued that the hepatitis B vaccine does not cause vasculitis and that Mr. Bourche's conditions were more likely caused by his underlying IgA nephropathy, a staph infection, or a reaction to the antibiotic vancomycin. The court found that the evidence did not preponderate in petitioner's favor. Key findings included that Mr. Bourche did not develop vasculitis until June or July 2014, approximately two months after the vaccination, which was outside the medically acceptable timeframe for vaccine causation. Furthermore, skin biopsies did not show the expected IgG antibodies, undermining the immune complex theory. The court also found that vancomycin was a more likely cause of the vasculitis, given the timing of its onset. Finally, the court determined that the endocarditis, even if vaccine-related, did not substantially contribute to Mr. Bourche's death, as his cardiac function had fluctuated and he had multiple confounding health issues. Therefore, compensation was denied.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Christian J. Moran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Andrew D. Downing; Courtney Van Cott","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|courtney-cott|","firm_canonical_key":"van-cott-and-talamante","package_title":"BOURCHE v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-0","title":"BOURCHE v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 6/3/16) regarding 51 DECISION of Special Master - Interim Attorney's Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (dh) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2016-06-24","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-1","title":"BOURCHE v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 05/11/2017) regarding 84 DECISION of Special Master - Interim Attorneys' Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (SP) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-06-07","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-2","title":"BOURCHE v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 12/19/2018) regarding 147 DECISION of Special Master - Interim Attorney's Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (abs) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2019-01-15","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-3","title":"BOURCHE v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 01/07/2020) regarding 158 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (hh) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2020-02-05","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-3/pdf","pdf_bytes":532126,"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_15-vv-00232/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-3"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00232-4","title":"BOURCHE v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 10/16/2020 ) regarding 168 DECISION of Special Master - Fees Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (nh) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2020-11-10","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}