{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344-cl6646280","petitioner_identifier":"A.E.S.","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":null,"vaccine_type":"DPT","vaccination_date":null,"condition_raw":"encephalopathy and seizures","condition_category":"encephalitis_encephalopathy","autism_spectrum_adjacent":1,"outcome":"unclear","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"1997-02-12","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T14:08:59.749867+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":null,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":null,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioners alleged that a DPT vaccination caused their son, A.E.S., to develop encephalopathy and seizures. The public text is sparse and focuses on procedural issues rather than the merits of causation. The Court of Federal Claims, in an order dated February 12, 1997, addressed a motion for relief from a judgment of dismissal. Judge Christine Odell Cook Miller found that the Clerk of the Court's entry of dismissal on December 6, 1993, was a correctable clerical mistake under Rule 60(a) because the Special Master had orally granted petitioners an extension of time to respond to a show cause order, and this extension was not reflected in the court record. The court vacated the dismissal and remanded the case to the Special Master for further proceedings. The public opinion does not contain information regarding the specific date of vaccination, the child's age at vaccination, the onset of symptoms, treating physician records, expert testimony, the biological mechanism of injury, or a detailed causation analysis. The case was remanded, and the ultimate determination of causation and any potential award are not detailed in the provided public text. Special Master Laura D. Millman had previously dismissed the case in 1996, finding she lacked jurisdiction to vacate the judgment after it was entered, a decision that was overturned by the Court of Federal Claims' remand.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"1990-09-25","case_summary":"On September 25, 1990, petitioners filed a petition under the Vaccine Act alleging that their son's DPT vaccination resulted in encephalopathy and seizures. The public text does not provide the child's full name, date of birth, vaccination date, onset timeline, treating physicians, expert opinions, or a medical causation analysis. The Special Master initially required petitioners to file supporting documents by April 19, 1993, and granted extensions through August 21, 1993. When petitioners failed to file, the Special Master issued an order on October 26, 1993, stating the case would be dismissed with prejudice if petitioners did not respond by November 19, 1993. Petitioners orally requested a further extension, which the Special Master granted, but this extension was not memorialized on the docket or communicated to the Clerk of the Court. Unaware of the oral extension, the Clerk of the Court entered judgment for the respondent on December 6, 1993, based on the show-cause order. The Special Master vacated this judgment a week later, and the parties proceeded to prepare for trial. In 1996, the respondent moved to dismiss, arguing that the Special Master lacked jurisdiction to vacate the judgment after it had been entered, citing Patton v. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Special Master Laura D. Millman agreed and dismissed the case, recommending that petitioners seek review. On February 12, 1997, Judge Christine Odell Cook Miller granted relief. The court rejected relief under Rule 60(b)(4) and Rule 60(b)(6) but held that Rule 60(a) permitted correction of a clerical mistake. The court found that the October 1993 show-cause order was not self-executing and that the Special Master had orally granted an extension that the Clerk was unaware of. Therefore, the court vacated the dismissal and remanded the case to the Special Master for further proceedings. The opinion did not decide whether the DPT vaccine caused the alleged injuries or award compensation.","is_minor_inferred":1,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Laura D. Millman","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_firm":null,"petitioner_attorney_location":null,"adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":null,"firm_canonical_key":null,"package_title":"Reitz v. United States","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344-cl6646280","title":"Reitz v. United States","docket_text":"lead-opinion","date_issued":"1997-02-12","pdf_url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6763537/reitz-v-united-states/","pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"recovered via CL opinion 6646280 (html_with_citations)","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344/USCOURTS-cofc-1_90-vv-01344-cl6646280"}]}