{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551-0","petitioner_identifier":"Claire Rutz","is_minor":null,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":null,"vaccine_type":"Tdap","vaccination_date":"2016-11-12","condition_raw":"biceps tendinitis","condition_category":"other","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"dismissed","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2021-02-26","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T05:06:57.801751+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":2,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Off-Table","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2018-04-17","case_summary":"Claire Rutz filed a claim alleging that she suffered left shoulder injuries, later specified as biceps tendinitis, as a result of her Tdap vaccination on November 12, 2016. She initially filed her petition on April 17, 2018, and amended it on March 4, 2019. The respondent filed a Rule 4 report recommending against compensation. The case proceeded through multiple reassignments and extensions for the petitioner to obtain an expert report. Despite being granted over a year and multiple extensions, the petitioner was unable to secure an expert opinion, citing difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The medical records indicated pain and tendinitis in the left elbow, with some physicians noting it was possibly vaccine-related, but no medical opinion sufficiently supported vaccine causation. The court found that the petitioner did not suffer a SIRVA (Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration) Table injury and failed to meet her burden of proof for an off-Table claim, as she could not establish a medical theory of causation or provide a competent physician's opinion. The court denied the petitioner's request for further extensions and dismissed the petition for failure to prosecute and failure to meet her burden of proof.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Daniel T. Horner","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Bridget Candance McCullough","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Muller Brazil, LLP","petitioner_attorney_location":"Dresher, PA","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|bridget-mccullough|","firm_canonical_key":"muller-brazil","package_title":"RUTZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551-0","title":"RUTZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 2/2/2021) regarding 47 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Daniel T. Horner. (tkp) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2021-02-26","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":299573,"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_18-vv-00551/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-00551-1","title":"RUTZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 08/31/2021) regarding 54 DECISION of Special Master - Fees Signed by Special Master Daniel T. Horner. (kp) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2021-10-06","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}