Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

The Doctrine of Equitable Tolling and Vaccine Claims

BY Janice G. Inman
November 28, 2011

The limitations period for the filing of claims under the “Vaccine Act” has kept many from recovering for vaccine-related injuries. The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. ” 300aa-1 to -34 (Vaccine Act), allows a 36-month window from the time a vaccine-related injury manifests itself to the time of filing. Any claim made after that is barred by the relevant statute of limitations. 42 U.S.C. ' 300aa-16(a)(2).

Still, claimants try to stretch the boundaries, offering varying reasons for why their cases should not be time-barred. Recently, in one such case, Cloer v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 16449 (Fed. Cir. 9/5/11), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a Federal Circuit panel decision and found against a woman who had won the right to pursue her claim. That case, while foreclosing the claimant's right to seek redress, also contained the reversal of a precedent set 10 years earlier in Brice v. Secretary of Health & Human Services, 240 F.3d 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2001). The Brice holding had precluded application of the doctrine of equitable tolling in Vaccine Act cases. Going forward, that rule is not necessarily a bar to late filing, though access to the courts for tardy claimants will remain very limited.

The Vaccine Program

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models Image

Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.

Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge Image

As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.

Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator Image

How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.

Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising Image

The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.

Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality Image

This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.