{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-2","petitioner_identifier":"Angela Apuzzo","is_minor":0,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":"adult (exact age not stated in public source)","vaccine_type":"influenza","vaccination_date":"2015-09-17","condition_raw":"chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and Sjögren's syndrome","condition_category":"neuropathy","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"denied","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2025-04-02","extraction_version":"manual-supplement-redo-2026-05-normal44","extracted_at":"2026-05-05 00:32:14","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":18,"theory_of_causation":"Influenza vaccine on September 17, 2015, adult exact age not stated, alleged to cause CIDP and/or Sjogren's syndrome/small fiber neuropathy with symptoms about 18 days later. DENIED. Petitioner Angela Apuzzo relied on neurologic and rheumatologic experts and a mosaic-of-autoimmunity theory. Respondent's experts disputed CIDP diagnosis and attributed symptoms to Sjogren's or non-vaccine causes, possibly predating vaccination. Special Master Horner dismissed the petition September 20, 2024; Senior Judge Loren A. Smith denied review April 2, 2025.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2017-12-08","case_summary":"Angela Apuzzo received an influenza vaccine on September 17, 2015. She subsequently developed symptoms of numbness and tingling, initially diagnosed as Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and peripheral demyelinating neuropathy. Over time, her diagnosis evolved, with some physicians suspecting CIDP and others Sjögren's syndrome. Petitioner's experts, a neurologist and a rheumatologist, suggested a 'mosaic of autoimmunity' possibly triggered by the vaccine, with the neurologist noting a change in diagnosis to small fiber neuropathy. Respondent's experts, including neurologists and rheumatologists, disputed the CIDP diagnosis, arguing that the petitioner's symptoms were inconsistent with CIDP and that her condition, likely Sjögren's syndrome, may have predated the vaccination. The Special Master denied compensation, concluding that the preponderance of the evidence indicated Ms. Apuzzo suffered from Sjögren's syndrome, not CIDP, and that causation by the vaccine was not established. The Court of Federal Claims affirmed this decision, finding that the Special Master appropriately evaluated the competing expert opinions and that the petitioner failed to meet her burden of proof for a vaccine-related injury.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Daniel T. Horner","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Ronald Craig Homer; Meredith Daniels","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|meredith-daniels|","firm_canonical_key":"conway-homer","package_title":"APUZZO v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-0","title":"APUZZO v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 8/23/2021) regarding 103 DECISION of Special Master - Interim Attorney's Fees. Signed by Special Master Daniel T. Horner. (tkp) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2021-09-21","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-1","title":"APUZZO v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 9/20/2024) regarding 158 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Daniel T. Horner. (ksb) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2024-10-18","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":475315,"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_17-vv-01915/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-2","title":"APUZZO v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"JUDGE VACCINE REPORTED OPINION & ORDER (PUBLIC VERSION) denying 160 Petitioner's Motion for Review. Signed by Senior Judge Loren A. Smith. (ajd) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2025-04-02","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-2/pdf","pdf_bytes":337791,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'opinion'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915/USCOURTS-cofc-1_17-vv-01915-2"}]}