{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569-0","petitioner_identifier":"Julie Mertz","is_minor":0,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":"adult (exact age not stated in public source)","vaccine_type":"influenza","vaccination_date":"2021-10-25","condition_raw":"Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)","condition_category":"GBS","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"entitlement_granted_pending_damages","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2025-04-21","extraction_version":"manual-supplement-redo-2026-05-normal24","extracted_at":"2026-05-04 05:52:17","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Adult petitioner; influenza vaccine October 25, 2021; Table GBS. ENTITLEMENT GRANTED, damages pending. Respondent conceded Table/QAI criteria for seasonal flu-GBS with no apparent alternative cause. Public text lacks detailed clinical chronology. Chief SM Corcoran decision April 21, 2025. Petition filed October 3, 2024. Counsel: Zachary James Hermsen.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2024-10-03","case_summary":"On October 3, 2024, Julie Mertz filed a petition alleging that an influenza vaccination administered on October 25, 2021 caused Guillain-Barre syndrome.\n\nRespondent conceded entitlement in a Rule 4(c) report filed April 18, 2025, agreeing that Ms. Mertz satisfied the Vaccine Injury Table and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation for GBS after seasonal influenza vaccination. The public ruling states that the Table affords a presumption of causation when GBS onset occurs between three and forty-two days after seasonal flu vaccination and no apparent alternative cause is present. Chief Special Master Corcoran granted entitlement on April 21, 2025.\n\nThe public ruling does not describe Ms. Mertz's first neurologic symptom, hospitalization, diagnostic testing, treatment, recovery, or expert opinions. No damages decision or vaccine-injury compensation award was present in the public text reviewed for this update.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Brian H. Corcoran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":"Julie Mertz","petitioner_attorney_name":"Zachary James Hermsen","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Whitfield & Eddy Law","petitioner_attorney_location":"Des Moines, IA","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":"2026-05-05 23:43:36","attorney_canonical_keys":"|zachary-hermsen|","firm_canonical_key":"whitfield-and-eddy-law","package_title":"MERTZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569-0","title":"MERTZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC ORDER/RULING (Originally filed: 04/21/2025) regarding 16 Ruling on Entitlement. Signed by Chief Special Master Brian H. Corcoran. (cr) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2025-05-21","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569-0/pdf","pdf_bytes":221224,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'ruling on entitlement'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569-0"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569-cl-extra-11054820","title":"Mertz v. Secretary of Health and Human Services","docket_text":"Supplementary opinion from CourtListener cluster 10588232","date_issued":"2025-05-21","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"CL supplement: Mertz v. Secretary of Health and Human Services","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569/USCOURTS-cofc-1_24-vv-01569-cl-extra-11054820"}]}