{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204-0","petitioner_identifier":"M.G.M.","is_minor":null,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":null,"vaccine_type":"DTaP","vaccination_date":"2015-06-24","condition_raw":"neurologic injury, evidenced by her seizures and causing her migraine headaches","condition_category":"seizure_disorder","autism_spectrum_adjacent":1,"outcome":"dismissed","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2020-08-13","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T05:09:13.299445+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":3,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioner alleged that M.G.M. suffered a neurologic injury, evidenced by seizures and causing migraine headaches, following DTaP, Hib, and Rotarix vaccines received on June 24, 2015, and/or DTaP, PCV, and Hib vaccines received on August 25, 2015. The respondent argued that the petitioner failed to establish a diagnosis of seizures, that any alleged seizures did not occur within a medically accepted timeframe after vaccination, and that proof of severity was lacking. During a status conference, Special Master Katherine E. Oler found the record insufficient to establish seizures or a connection between alleged seizures and headaches occurring more than two years post-vaccination, deeming the temporal gap insurmountable and proof of severity lacking. Petitioner subsequently moved for dismissal due to insufficient proof and the unlikelihood of prevailing. The case was dismissed for insufficient proof, as the petitioner did not meet her burden of proof under the Vaccine Act, which requires either a \"Table Injury\" or proof of actual causation supported by medical records or expert opinion. The public decision does not name specific medical experts or detail the mechanism of injury. The case was dismissed by Special Master Katherine E. Oler on August 13, 2020, with petitioner's counsel Patricia A. Finn and respondent's counsel Mary E. Holmes involved. No award was made.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2018-08-14","case_summary":"Megan McDonald, as best friend of her daughter M.G.M., filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program on August 14, 2018. She alleged that M.G.M. suffered a neurologic injury, evidenced by seizures and causing migraine headaches, following DTaP, Hib, and Rotarix vaccines received on June 24, 2015, and/or DTaP, PCV, and Hib vaccines received on August 25, 2015. The respondent argued that the petitioner failed to establish a diagnosis of seizures, that any alleged seizures did not occur within a medically accepted timeframe after vaccination, and that proof of severity was lacking. During a status conference on May 26, 2020, Special Master Katherine E. Oler informed petitioner's counsel that the record did not establish that M.G.M. experienced seizures, nor was there a demonstrated connection between alleged seizures and the development of headaches more than two years after vaccination, finding this temporal gap insurmountable. The Special Master also noted that proof of severity was not provided. The Special Master strongly recommended dismissal, stating the petitioner had no reasonable chance of prevailing. Petitioner subsequently filed a motion to dismiss on June 23, 2020, acknowledging the unlikelihood of prevailing and the waste of resources. The court found insufficient evidence in the record to meet the petitioner's burden of proof and dismissed the case for insufficient proof. The public decision does not describe the specific medical records or expert opinions that were considered or the exact dollar breakdowns or annuity terms, as the case was dismissed for insufficient proof. Petitioner's counsel was Patricia A. Finn, and respondent's counsel was Mary E. Holmes. The decision was issued by Special Master Katherine E. Oler on August 13, 2020.","is_minor_inferred":1,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Katherine E. Oler","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Patricia A. Finn","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Patricia Finn","petitioner_attorney_location":null,"adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|patricia-finn|","firm_canonical_key":"patricia-finn","package_title":"MCDONALD v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204-0","title":"MCDONALD v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 6/24/2020) regarding 30 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Katherine E. Oler. (nvb) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2020-08-13","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":235210,"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-01204/USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_18-vv-01204-1","title":"MCDONALD v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC RULING (Originally filed: 6/23/2021) regarding 39 DECISION of Special Master - Fees. Signed by Special Master Katherine E. Oler. (nvb) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2021-09-02","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}