{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-0","petitioner_identifier":"H.H.","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":15.0,"age_unit_raw":"months","vaccine_type":"influenza; Prevnar; Pentacel (DTaP/IPV/Hib)","vaccination_date":"2013-10-17; 2013-10-23","condition_raw":"Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome (AGS) or AGS-like type I interferonopathy with neurologic regression","condition_category":"encephalitis_encephalopathy","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"compensated","award_amount_usd":2925472,"decision_date":"2025-10-02","extraction_version":"manual-supplement-redo-2026-05-normal43","extracted_at":"2026-05-05 00:26:54","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":2,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":21,"theory_of_causation":"Influenza and Prevnar vaccines on October 17, 2013, and Pentacel (DTaP/IPV/Hib) on October 23, 2013, at about 15 months old, alleged to cause or significantly aggravate Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome / AGS-like type I interferonopathy with rapid neurologic regression. COMPENSATED after denial, review, vacatur, remand, and later damages proffer. Petitioners Heathe and Jenna Heller relied principally on Dr. Lawrence Steinman's immune-activation/significant-aggravation theory involving interferon and inflammasome pathways, plus treating physicians' views that the post-vaccination regression was unusually rapid. The Secretary disputed causation and emphasized genetic disease. Judge Holte vacated the initial denial in part on October 13/31, 2022, requiring renewed Loving/Althen analysis; the later proffer resolved damages. Award filed October 2, 2025: $2,623,447.30 lump sum for first-year life-care, lost future earnings, and pain and suffering; $302,024.70 past unreimbursable expenses; plus an annuity for remaining life-care items. Attorney: Margaret Guerra.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2015-07-27","case_summary":"Petitioners Heathe and Jenna Heller, on behalf of their minor son H.H., filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. They alleged that H.H.'s vaccinations, including Pentacel, administered in October 2013, caused or significantly aggravated his degenerative neurological disorder, identified as Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome (AGS) or an AGS-like type I interferonopathy. The Special Master initially denied the petition, finding that H.H. had a genetically caused condition and that the vaccines did not cause or significantly aggravate it. Petitioners moved for review, arguing the Special Master erred by diagnosing H.H. with a purely genetic disorder before fully analyzing the potential for vaccine aggravation and by improperly applying the causation standards. The Court of Federal Claims reviewed the decision. The court found that the Special Master erred in her analysis of the medical theory (Loving prong four), the logical sequence of cause and effect (Loving prong five), and the proximate temporal relationship (Loving prong six). Specifically, the court determined the Special Master's diagnosis of AGS or an AGS-like disorder was arbitrary and capricious because it did not adequately consider the possibility of vaccine aggravation of a pre-existing condition, effectively assuming the injury was purely genetic. The court also found the Special Master's analysis of the causation prongs was flawed by this assumption and by disregarding the potential for vaccine aggravation. Consequently, the court vacated the Special Master's decision regarding the Pentacel vaccine and remanded the case for further proceedings to determine if the Pentacel vaccine significantly aggravated H.H.'s condition. The court upheld the denial for the influenza and pneumonia vaccines, as petitioners did not present sufficient evidence or a medical theory of causation for these vaccines, and their expert focused solely on Pentacel. The court did not make a determination on entitlement, leaving it to the Special Master on remand.\n\nAfter the Court of Federal Claims vacated the initial denial in part and remanded the significant-aggravation analysis, the case later resolved through a damages proffer. On October 2, 2025, Special Master Jennifer A. Shah awarded compensation for H.H.: a $2,623,447.30 lump sum for first-year life-care expenses, lost future earnings, and pain and suffering; $302,024.70 for past unreimbursable expenses; and an annuity for remaining life-care items.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Katherine E. Oler","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Margaret M. Guerra","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Margaret M. Guerra, Attorney at Law","petitioner_attorney_location":"Fort Worth, TX","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|margaret-guerra|","firm_canonical_key":"margaret-m-guerra","package_title":"HELLER et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-0","title":"HELLER et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"JUDGE VACCINE REPORTED OPINION: Public version of 134 Order on Motion for Review. Signed by Judge Ryan T. Holte. (eir) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2022-10-31","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":580860,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'opinion'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-1","title":"HELLER et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 4/15/2022) regarding 121 DECISION DISMISSING PETITION. Signed by Special Master Katherine E. Oler. (sl) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2022-11-01","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":836390,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'decision dismissing'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-2","title":"HELLER et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC ORDER/RULING (Originally filed: 1/4/2023) regarding 140 DECISION on Remand. Signed by Special Master Katherine E. Oler. (sl) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2023-02-03","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"no decision/ruling/opinion signal in docketText","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-3","title":"HELLER et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 10/2/2025) regarding 194 DECISION - Proffer. Signed by Special Master Jennifer A. Shah. (am) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2025-11-03","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-3/pdf","pdf_bytes":470308,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword ' proffer'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00792-3"}]}