Pafford v. Sec'y of Health & Human Servs., 451 F.3d 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2006). · Go Syfert
Pafford v. Sec'y of Health & Human Servs., 451 F.3d 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2006). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
2,078 citation events (2,075 in the last 25 years) across 2 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Demore v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (uscfc, 2025-03-20)
Treatment trajectory · 2006 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
2006 2016 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 50 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Demore v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2025 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
under this court's precedent, must prove by preponderant evidence . . . .
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Sanchez v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited as authority (quoted), Cited "see", Cited "see, e.g."
Fed. Cl. · 2018 · signal: see · quote attribution · 2 verbatim quotes · confidence high
if, for example, symptoms normally first occur ten days after inoculation but petitioner's symptoms first occur several weeks after inoculation, then it is doubtful the vaccination is to blame
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) M. v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×) also: Cited as authority (rule)
Fed. Cl. · 2018 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
ithout some evidence of temporal linkage, the vaccination might receive blame for events that occur weeks, months, or years outside of the time in which scientific or epidemiological evidence would expect an onset of harm
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Faoro v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2016 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Day v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2015 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Roberts v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×) also: Cited as authority (rule)
Fed. Cl. · 2014 · signal: see also · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Wirt v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×) also: Cited as authority (rule)
Fed. Cl. · 2014 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
there may well be a circumstance where it is found that a vaccine can cause the injury at issue and where the injury was temporally proximate to the vaccination, but it is illogical to conclude that the injury was actually caused by the vaccine.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Salmins v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×) also: Cited as authority (rule)
Fed. Cl. · 2014 · signal: see also · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable timeframe bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but- for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Waters v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2014 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Michael B. Waters and Kim K. Waters, as Parents and Legal Representatives of Their Minor Son, Karsen Steele Waters v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2014 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Clifton Haigler and Charity Haigler, Legal Representatives of a Minor Child, Thomas Thurlow Haigler v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2013 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Tessie Dingle v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (9×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2013 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Pamela Ann Dillon v. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (3×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2013 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Maria Carrino, Spouse and of the Estate of Samuel Carrino v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2013 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury 31 alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Doe/11 ex rel. Estate of Child/Doe/11 v. Secretary of the Dept. of Health & Human Services (2×) also: Cited as authority (rule)
Fed. Cl. · 2009 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
he special master did not err in requiring specific evidence about a medically acceptable time frame linking the linjuryj to the vaccinations at issue.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) SANCHEZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
if, for example, symptoms normally first occur ten days after inoculation but petitioner's symptoms first occur several weeks after inoculation, then it is doubtful the vaccination is to blame.
examined Cited as authority (quoted) Fester v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2016 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
evidence demonstrating petitioner's injury occurred within a medically acceptable time frame bolsters a link between the injury alleged and the vaccination at issue under the 'but-for' prong of the causation analysis.
examined Cited as authority (quoted) Nathan House v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (10×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2013 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
hese prongs must cumulatively show that the vaccination was a 'but-for' cause of the harm, rather than just an insubstantial contributor in, or one among several possible causes of, the harm.
examined Cited as authority (quoted) Nathan House v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (10×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2013 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
hese prongs must cumulatively show that the vaccination was a 'but-for' cause of the harm, rather than just an insubstantial contributor in, or one among several possible causes of, the harm.
examined Cited as authority (rule) Iverson v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Rudzki v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) SHAHBAZ v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2006) (ruling that the special master could consider alternative causes); id. at 1360 (Dyk, J., dissenting) (the “majority holds that petitioner seeking compensation ... must establish ... an absence of ‘alternative causes’ of the injury”) with Walther v. Sec'y of Health & Hum.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Larue v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
“Petitioner must show that the vaccine was the ‘but for’ cause of the harm.’” Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1356 (internal citations omitted). 28 Here, Petitioner has failed to provide preponderant evidence of a logical sequence of cause and effect that shows her flu vaccine caused her CIDP.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Boyd v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citations omitted).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Dryer-Minnerly v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citations omitted).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Hunt v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
“Petitioner must show that the vaccine was the ‘but for’ cause of the harm . . . or in other words, that the vaccine was the ‘reason for the injury.’” Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1356 (internal citations omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Cote v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Whereas under the first Althen prong, petitioner must present a general medical theory explaining that the vaccine in question “can” cause the type of injury in question, Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56, under the second and third prongs petitioner must also present evidence that the vaccine “did” cause petitioner’s own injury.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Clarke v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Servs., 451 F.3d 1352, 1355 (Fed.
cited Cited as authority (rule) WILLIFORD v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citations omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Alvarado v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Schulz v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358; de Bazan, 539 F.3d at 1352 (holding the third prong “requires preponderant proof that the onset of symptoms occurred within a time frame for which, given the medical understanding of the disorder’s etiology, it is medically acceptable to infer causation-in-fact”).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Romero v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citation omitted).
cited Cited as authority (rule) French v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358.
examined Cited as authority (rule) Jett-Crawford v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”). 25 B.
examined Cited as authority (rule) Alqulissi v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Sinclair v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
“Petitioner must show that the vaccine was the ‘but for’ cause of the harm…or in other words, that the vaccine was the ‘reason for the injury.’ ” Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1356 (internal citations omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Gillon v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
“Petitioner must show that the vaccine was the ‘but for’ cause of the harm…or in other words, that the vaccine was the ‘reason for the injury.’” Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1356 (internal references omitted).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Dewit v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (5×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citation omitted); Knudsen, 35 F.3d at 548 .
examined Cited as authority (rule) Strouse v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2009); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Billing v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Pahos v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 1999); Pafford v. Sec’y of Health and Human Servs., 451 F.3d 1352, 1355 (Fed.
examined Cited as authority (rule) Hubbard v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Althaus v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Fee v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
“Petitioner must show that the vaccine was the ‘but for’ cause of the harm . . . or in other words, that the vaccine was the ‘reason for the injury.’” Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1356 (internal citations omitted).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Rodriguez v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citations omitted).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Malar v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (4×) also: Cited "see"
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”). 20 B.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) McKENNEY v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (2×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
“Petitioner must show that the vaccine was the ‘but for’ cause of the harm…or in other words, that the vaccine was the ‘reason for the injury.’ ” Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1356 (internal citations omitted). 17 In evaluating whether this prong is satisfied, the opinions and views of the vaccinee’s treating physicians are entitled to some weight.
cited Cited as authority (rule) S. v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citations omitted).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Johnson v. Secretary of Health and Human Services (3×)
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (“The government, like any defendant, is permitted to offer evidence to demonstrate the inadequacy of the [P]etitioner’s evidence on a requisite 35 element of the [P]etitioner’s case-in-chief.”); Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1358-59 (“[T]he presence of multiple potential causative agents makes it difficult to attribute ‘but for’ causation to the vaccination. . . . [T]he Special Master properly introduced the presence of the other unrelated contemporaneous events as just as likely to have been the triggering event as the vaccinations.”).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Martin v. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Fed. Cl. · 2026 · confidence medium
Pafford, 451 F.3d at 1355-56 (citations omitted).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Pafford
v.
Secretary of Health and Human Services
2005-5106.
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Jun 20, 2006.
451 F.3d 1352

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

ERRATA

June 27, 2006

Appeal No. 05-5106

Precedential Majority Opinion, Pafford v HHS

Decided June 20, 2006

Page 1, footnote 1, line 2: please delete “German measles” and insert “whooping cough”.