Casteel v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

In the United States Court of Federal Claims OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 25-0896V

BETH CASTEEL, as next friend of Chief Special Master Corcoran B.C., Filed: April 27, 2026 Petitioner, v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Respondent.

Bradley S. Freedberg, Bradley S. Freedberg, P.C., Denver, CO, for Petitioner.

Meghan Murphy, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.

RULING ON ENTITLEMENT 1 On May 27, 2025, Beth Casteel filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq. 2 (the “Vaccine Act”). Petitioner alleges that her child, B.C., suffered intussusception following a rotavirus vaccine he received on October 20, 2023. Petition at 1. Petitioner further alleges that B.C.’s vaccine-injury has persisted for longer than six months. Id. at 2. The case was assigned to the Special Processing Unit of the Office of Special Masters.

On April 17, 2026, Respondent filed his Rule 4(c) report in which he concedes that Petitioner is entitled to compensation in this case. Respondent’s Rule 4(c) Report at 1.

Respondent states that “Petitioner has satisfied the criteria set forth in the Vaccine Injury Because this Ruling contains a reasoned explanation for the action taken in this case, it must be made publicly accessible and will be posted on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website, and/or at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts/national/cofc, in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2018) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). This means the Ruling will be available to anyone with access to the internet. In accordance with Vaccine Rule 18(b), Petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to redact medical or other information, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. If, upon review, I agree that the identified material fits within this definition, I will redact such material from public access.

2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease of citation, all section references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2018).

Table (“Table”) and the Qualifications and Aids to Interpretation for a Rotavirus/Intussusception Table injury. Specifically, B.C.’s intussusception manifested between one and twenty-one days after receipt of his second rotavirus vaccine, and there is not preponderant evidence that his condition was due to a factor unrelated to the vaccine.” Id. at 3-4. Respondent further agrees that “based on the record as it now stands, Petitioner has satisfied all legal prerequisites for compensation under the Act.” Id. at 4.

In view of Respondent’s position and the evidence of record, I find that Petitioner is entitled to compensation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

s/Brian H. Corcoran Brian H. Corcoran Chief Special Master