Expert witness scorecard
Who testifies in contested vaccine-injury cases, for which side, on which conditions, and how often the side that retained them prevailed. Built from the decision texts themselves. Use the search box to pull every reasoned decision that mentions a particular expert.
Reasoned decisions mentioning “Dr. john”
Expert witness scorecard
| Expert | Usually for | Decisions | For petitioner | For respondent | Their side prevailed | Main conditions | Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Steinman | petitioner | 40 | 40 | 0 | 22% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Other / multiple | 2009–2026 |
| Marcel Kinsbourne | petitioner | 38 | 38 | 0 | 19% | Seizure disorder, Other / multiple | 1996–2025 |
| M. Eric Gershwin | petitioner | 32 | 32 | 0 | 9% | Other / multiple, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 2015–2026 |
| Mehrdad Matloubian | respondent | 24 | 0 | 24 | 100% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2016–2026 |
| Carlo Tornatore | petitioner | 20 | 20 | 0 | 15% | Other / multiple, Transverse myelitis | 2007–2025 |
| J. Lindsay Whitton | respondent | 20 | 0 | 20 | 95% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2015–2024 |
| Max Wiznitzer | respondent | 19 | 0 | 19 | 94% | Seizure disorder, Autism spectrum disorder | 1993–2025 |
| David Axelrod | petitioner | 16 | 16 | 0 | 12% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2016–2025 |
| Andrew MacGinnitie | respondent | 16 | 0 | 16 | 81% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2020–2026 |
| Gerald V. Raymond | respondent | 16 | 1 | 15 | 88% | Seizure disorder, Other / multiple | 2007–2023 |
| Christine McCusker | respondent | 15 | 0 | 15 | 87% | Death, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 2015–2025 |
| Omid Akbari | petitioner | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2020–2026 |
| Peter Donofrio | respondent | 14 | 0 | 14 | 71% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Other / multiple | 2019–2026 |
| Vinay Chaudhry | respondent | 14 | 0 | 14 | 86% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Other / multiple | 2011–2024 |
| Brian Callaghan | respondent | 13 | 0 | 13 | 62% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Other / multiple | 2021–2026 |
| Yehuda Shoenfeld | petitioner | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple, Dysautonomia / POTS | 2014–2023 |
| Thomas Leist | respondent | 12 | 0 | 12 | 75% | Other / multiple, Brachial neuritis | 2011–2025 |
| Yuval Shafrir | petitioner | 12 | 12 | 0 | 25% | Seizure disorder, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 2015–2025 |
| Eric Lancaster | respondent | 11 | 0 | 11 | 100% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2017–2026 |
| Subramaniam Sriram | respondent | 11 | 0 | 11 | 90% | Encephalitis / encephalopathy, Other / multiple | 2006–2025 |
| Amy Arnold | respondent | 11 | 0 | 11 | 100% | Autism spectrum disorder, Other / multiple | 2017–2023 |
| Harold E. Buttram | petitioner | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0% | Autism spectrum disorder, Other / multiple | 2007–2017 |
| Arnold Gale | respondent | 11 | 1 | 10 | 91% | Autism spectrum disorder, Seizure disorder | 1994–2017 |
| Neal Halsey | respondent | 11 | 0 | 11 | 100% | Autism spectrum disorder, Other / multiple | 2017–2017 |
| David Frankfurter | respondent | 10 | 0 | 10 | 100% | Other / multiple | 2016–2023 |
| Gregory Holmes | respondent | 10 | 0 | 10 | 90% | Seizure disorder, Autism spectrum disorder | 2000–2025 |
| Deisher | petitioner | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0% | Autism spectrum disorder | 2017–2017 |
| William Toffler | petitioner | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0% | Autism spectrum disorder | 2017–2017 |
| Karin Burkhard | petitioner | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0% | Autism spectrum disorder | 2017–2017 |
| Dan Arking | respondent | 10 | 0 | 10 | 100% | Autism spectrum disorder | 2017–2017 |
| M. Daniele Fallin | respondent | 10 | 0 | 10 | 100% | Autism spectrum disorder | 2017–2017 |
| David | petitioner | 9 | 8 | 1 | 33% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2016–2026 |
| Chester V. Oddis | respondent | 9 | 0 | 9 | 100% | Other / multiple | 2016–2025 |
| Naveed Natanzi | petitioner | 9 | 9 | 0 | 44% | SIRVA | 2022–2026 |
| Peter M. Bingham | respondent | 9 | 0 | 9 | 89% | Encephalitis / encephalopathy, Dysautonomia / POTS | 2013–2025 |
| Douglas C. Miller | petitioner | 9 | 7 | 2 | 22% | Death, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 2015–2021 |
| Dara G. Jamieson | respondent | 8 | 0 | 8 | 75% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2019–2026 |
| Uma Srikumaran | petitioner | 8 | 8 | 0 | 50% | SIRVA | 2022–2026 |
| Thomas Forsthuber | respondent | 8 | 0 | 8 | 86% | Transverse myelitis, Other / multiple | 2019–2025 |
| Neil Romberg | respondent | 8 | 0 | 8 | 88% | Other / multiple, Narcolepsy / cataplexy | 2020–2025 |
| Chris Liacouras | respondent | 8 | 0 | 8 | 88% | Other / multiple, Death | 2017–2025 |
| Vera Byers | petitioner | 8 | 7 | 1 | 43% | Other / multiple, Brachial neuritis | 2004–2025 |
| M. Eric | petitioner | 8 | 6 | 2 | 38% | Other / multiple, Death | 2019–2025 |
| Mitchell Miglis | petitioner | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0% | Dysautonomia / POTS, Other / multiple | 2019–2025 |
| You-Wen | respondent | 7 | 0 | 7 | 86% | Other / multiple, Death | 2022–2026 |
| Paul J. Cagle | respondent | 7 | 0 | 7 | 57% | SIRVA | 2023–2026 |
| Geoffrey Abrams | respondent | 7 | 0 | 7 | 86% | SIRVA | 2022–2026 |
| Carlos Rose | respondent | 7 | 0 | 7 | 71% | Other / multiple, Brachial neuritis | 2013–2024 |
| Arnold I. Levinson | respondent | 7 | 0 | 7 | 86% | Other / multiple, Anaphylaxis | 2018–2025 |
| Sara Vargas | respondent | 7 | 0 | 7 | 100% | Death, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2017–2023 |
| Thomas Zizic | petitioner | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple | 2021–2024 |
| Brent Harris | respondent | 6 | 0 | 6 | 83% | Death | 2018–2025 |
| Thomas | both | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | Encephalitis / encephalopathy, Other / multiple | 2018–2025 |
| David M. Simpson | petitioner | 6 | 6 | 0 | 50% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Transverse myelitis | 2024–2026 |
| Robert Fujinami | respondent | 6 | 0 | 6 | 33% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Death | 2009–2026 |
| Patrick Kennedy | respondent | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | SIRVA, Other / multiple | 2016–2026 |
| John Santoro | petitioner | 6 | 6 | 0 | 17% | Other / multiple, Death | 2017–2025 |
| Timothy Vartanian | respondent | 6 | 0 | 6 | 83% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Transverse myelitis | 2018–2024 |
| Arthur Brawer | petitioner | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple | 2009–2025 |
| Emanual Maverakis | respondent | 6 | 0 | 6 | 67% | Other / multiple | 2022–2025 |
| Michael Kohrman | respondent | 6 | 0 | 6 | 40% | Seizure disorder, Death | 2010–2023 |
| Alan Levin | petitioner | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0% | Death, Other / multiple | 2018–2022 |
| Gregory Lawrence | petitioner | 6 | 5 | 1 | 33% | Encephalitis / encephalopathy, Other / multiple | 2017–2025 |
| S. Sohail Ahmed | petitioner | 6 | 5 | 1 | 33% | Other / multiple, Narcolepsy / cataplexy | 2018–2025 |
| Marcel | petitioner | 5 | 5 | 0 | 20% | Other / multiple, Seizure disorder | 2013–2025 |
| Dara | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 60% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2025–2026 |
| Mehrdad | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% | Other / multiple, Guillain-Barré Syndrome | 2018–2026 |
| Randy Longman | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 80% | Other / multiple | 2017–2025 |
| Hayley Gans | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Other / multiple | 2019–2025 |
| Frederick Nahm | petitioner | 5 | 5 | 0 | 20% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Transverse myelitis | 2021–2025 |
| Alberto Martinez-Arizala | petitioner | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple, Transverse myelitis | 2022–2026 |
| Svetlana Blitshteyn | petitioner | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0% | Syncope, Dysautonomia / POTS | 2014–2023 |
| Joan Cox Gill | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% | Other / multiple, Transverse myelitis | 2013–2020 |
| Robert Lightfoot | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% | Other / multiple | 2009–2021 |
| Edward W. Cetaruk | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% | Other / multiple, Dysautonomia / POTS | 2014–2022 |
| Phillip Low | respondent | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% | Dysautonomia / POTS, Complex regional pain syndrome | 2018–2023 |
| Carlo | petitioner | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple, Transverse myelitis | 2018–2024 |
| Joseph A. Bellanti | petitioner | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple, Autism spectrum disorder | 2012–2024 |
| Marko Bodor | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50% | SIRVA, Other / multiple | 2019–2026 |
| Carlos | respondent | 4 | 1 | 3 | 50% | Other / multiple, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 1998–2025 |
| John T. Bates | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 75% | Other / multiple | 2025–2026 |
| Joseph S. Jeret | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 25% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Other / multiple | 2025–2026 |
| Jeffrey Gelfand | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100% | Transverse myelitis, Small fiber neuropathy | 2019–2024 |
| Michael Wilson | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100% | Transverse myelitis, Other / multiple | 2022–2026 |
| Nizar Souayah | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Bell's palsy | 2020–2025 |
| Edwin Monsell | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 25% | Other / multiple | 2023–2025 |
| Herman F. Staats | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | — | Other / multiple, Seizure disorder | 2023–2025 |
| Peter | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 50% | Transverse myelitis, Bell's palsy | 2020–2026 |
| Vinay Chaudry | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 25% | Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Small fiber neuropathy | 2020–2025 |
| Paul J. Utz | petitioner | 4 | 3 | 1 | 25% | Other / multiple | 2019–2021 |
| Andrew | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 50% | Death, Other / multiple | 2020–2025 |
| Christopher A. Mecoli | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100% | Other / multiple | 2024–2026 |
| Douglas Bigelow | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100% | Other / multiple | 2019–2024 |
| Mark Geier | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | Autism spectrum disorder, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 1991–2016 |
| Jeffrey Cohen | respondent | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100% | Autism spectrum disorder, Developmental delay / regression | 2013–2018 |
| John Shane | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | Death, Encephalitis / encephalopathy | 2002–2017 |
| Bell | petitioner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0% | Other / multiple | 2004–2006 |
The Zimmerman question: does an expert's record predict the outcome?
Dr. Andrew Zimmerman wrote the government's Cedillo report in 2007, was not called, and later testified for petitioners on a mitochondrial-aggravation theory in Madariaga, Murphy, Reed and others, losing each time it was adjudicated. That history raises a general question this corpus can partly answer: when the same expert offers the same theory repeatedly, how often does it win, and is the expert or the theory doing the work?
Among petitioner-side experts named in at least eight decided reasoned cases, the share of cases their side won ranges from 0% to 50%, against a baseline petitioner win rate of 45% in all reasoned decisions. A spread that wide is not noise: it tracks the theories each expert carries. Immunologists and neurologists retained on recognised mechanisms (autoimmune demyelination after influenza vaccine, for example) sit near or above the baseline; experts attached to theories the Office of Special Masters has repeatedly rejected sit far below it. The record follows the theory, and the theory is what a future petitioner inherits when the same expert is retained.
Search the corpus for Dr. Zimmerman to see every reasoned decision that mentions him.
How expert evidence works in the vaccine program
There is no jury and no Daubert gatekeeping hearing in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Each side files written expert reports, the Special Master may hold a hearing with live testimony, and the decision weighs the experts' qualifications, the literature they cite and the fit between the theory and the medical record. The government's experts are retained by the Department of Justice, usually from academic medicine; petitioners' experts come from a smaller pool of physicians willing to testify on causation.
Because the same names recur across hundreds of decisions, the program has an institutional memory of each expert. Special Masters cite their own and colleagues' prior assessments of an expert's reliability, and a theory that has been rejected repeatedly is discounted the next time it appears. That is the dynamic this page makes visible, and it is why choosing an expert is one of the most consequential decisions in a contested petition.