(a) General rule

(1) A proceeding for compensation under the Program for a vaccine-related injury or death shall be initiated by service upon the Secretary and the filing of a petition containing the matter prescribed by subsection (c) with the United States Court of Federal Claims. The clerk of the United States Court of Federal Claims shall immediately forward the filed petition to the chief special master for assignment to a special master under section 300aa–12(d)(1) of this title.

(2)

(A) No person may bring a civil action for damages in an amount greater than $1,000 or in an unspecified amount against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer in a State or Federal court for damages arising from a vaccine-related injury or death associated with the administration of a vaccine after October 1, 1988, and no such court may award damages in an amount greater than $1,000 in a civil action for damages for such a vaccine-related injury or death, unless a petition has been filed, in accordance with section 300aa–16 of this title, for compensation under the Program for such injury or death and—

(i)

(I) the United States Court of Federal Claims has issued a judgment under section 300aa–12 of this title on such petition, and

(II) such person elects under section 300aa–21(a) of this title to file such an action, or

(ii) such person elects to withdraw such petition under section 300aa–21(b) of this title or such petition is considered withdrawn under such section.

(B) If a civil action which is barred under subparagraph (A) is filed in a State or Federal court, the court shall dismiss the action. If a petition is filed under this section with respect to the injury or death for which such civil action was brought, the date such dismissed action was filed shall, for purposes of the limitations of actions prescribed by section 300aa–16 of this title, be considered the date the petition was filed if the petition was filed within one year of the date of the dismissal of the civil action.

(3) No vaccine administrator or manufacturer may be made a party to a civil action (other than a civil action which may be brought under paragraph (2)) for damages for a vaccine-related injury or death associated with the administration of a vaccine after October 1, 1988.

(4) If in a civil action brought against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer before October 1, 1988, damages were denied for a vaccine-related injury or death or if such civil action was dismissed with prejudice, the person who brought such action may file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death.

(5)

(A) A plaintiff who on October 1, 1988, has pending a civil action for damages for a vaccine-related injury or death may, at any time within 2 years after October 1, 1988, or before judgment, whichever occurs first, petition to have such action dismissed without prejudice or costs and file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death.

(B) If a plaintiff has pending a civil action for damages for a vaccine-related injury or death, such person may not file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death.

(6) If a person brings a civil action after November 15, 1988 for damages for a vaccine-related injury or death associated with the administration of a vaccine before November 15, 1988, such person may not file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death.

(7) If in a civil action brought against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer for a vaccine-related injury or death damages are awarded under a judgment of a court or a settlement of such action, the person who brought such action may not file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death.

(8) If on October 1, 1988, there was pending an appeal or rehearing with respect to a civil action brought against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer and if the outcome of the last appellate review of such action or the last rehearing of such action is the denial of damages for a vaccine-related injury or death, the person who brought such action may file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death.

(9) This subsection applies only to a person who has sustained a vaccine-related injury or death and who is qualified to file a petition for compensation under the Program.

(10) The Clerk of the United States Claims Court ² is authorized to continue to receive, and forward, petitions for compensation for a vaccine-related injury or death associated with the administration of a vaccine on or after October 1, 1992.

(b) Petitioners

(1)

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), any person who has sustained a vaccine-related injury, the legal representative of such person if such person is a minor or is disabled, or the legal representative of any person who died as the result of the administration of a vaccine set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table may, if the person meets the requirements of subsection (c)(1), file a petition for compensation under the Program.

(B) No person may file a petition for a vaccine-related injury or death associated with a vaccine administered before October 1, 1988, if compensation has been paid under this part for 3500 petitions for such injuries or deaths.

(2) Only one petition may be filed with respect to each administration of a vaccine. A covered vaccine administered to a pregnant woman shall constitute more than one administration, one to the mother and one to each child (as such term is defined in subsection (f)(2)) who was in utero at the time such woman was administered the vaccine.

(c) Petition content
A petition for compensation under the Program for a vaccine-related injury or death shall contain—

(1) except as provided in paragraph (3), an affidavit, and supporting documentation, demonstrating that the person who suffered such injury or who died—

(A) received a vaccine set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table or, if such person did not receive such a vaccine, contracted polio, directly or indirectly, from another person who received an oral polio vaccine,

(B)

(i) if such person received a vaccine set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table—

(I) received the vaccine in the United States or in its trust territories,

(II) received the vaccine outside the United States or a trust territory and at the time of the vaccination such person was a citizen of the United States serving abroad as a member of the Armed Forces or otherwise as an employee of the United States or a dependent of such a citizen, or

(III) received the vaccine outside the United States or a trust territory and the vaccine was manufactured by a vaccine manufacturer located in the United States and such person returned to the United States not later than 6 months after the date of the vaccination,

(ii) if such person did not receive such a vaccine but contracted polio from another person who received an oral polio vaccine, was a citizen of the United States or a dependent of such a citizen,

(C)

(i) sustained, or had significantly aggravated, any illness, disability, injury, or condition set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table in association with the vaccine referred to in subparagraph (A) or died from the administration of such vaccine, and the first symptom or manifestation of the onset or of the significant aggravation of any such illness, disability, injury, or condition or the death occurred within the time period after vaccine administration set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table, or

(ii)

(I) sustained, or had significantly aggravated, any illness, disability, injury, or condition not set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table but which was caused by a vaccine referred to in subparagraph (A), or

(II) sustained, or had significantly aggravated, any illness, disability, injury, or condition set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table the first symptom or manifestation of the onset or significant aggravation of which did not occur within the time period set forth in the Table but which was caused by a vaccine referred to in subparagraph (A),

(D)

(i) suffered the residual effects or complications of such illness, disability, injury, or condition for more than 6 months after the administration of the vaccine, or (ii) died from the administration of the vaccine, or (iii) suffered such illness, disability, injury, or condition from the vaccine which resulted in inpatient hospitalization and surgical intervention, and

(E) has not previously collected an award or settlement of a civil action for damages for such vaccine-related injury or death,

(2) except as provided in paragraph (3), maternal prenatal and delivery records, newborn hospital records (including all physicians' and nurses' notes and test results), vaccination records associated with the vaccine allegedly causing the injury, pre- and post-injury physician or clinic records (including all relevant growth charts and test results), all post-injury inpatient and outpatient records (including all provider notes, test results, and medication records), if applicable, a death certificate, and if applicable, autopsy results, and

(3) an identification of any records of the type described in paragraph (1) or (2) which are unavailable to the petitioner and the reasons for their unavailability.

(d) Additional information
A petition may also include other available relevant medical records relating to the person who suffered such injury or who died from the administration of the vaccine.

(e) Schedule
The petitioner shall submit in accordance with a schedule set by the special master assigned to the petition assessments, evaluations, and prognoses and such other records and documents as are reasonably necessary for the determination of the amount of compensation to be paid to, or on behalf of, the person who suffered such injury or who died from the administration of the vaccine.

(f) Maternal immunization

(1) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of this subpart, both a woman who received a covered vaccine while pregnant and any child who was in utero at the time such woman received the vaccine shall be considered persons to whom the covered vaccine was administered and persons who received the covered vaccine.

(2) Definition
As used in this subsection, the term "child" shall have the meaning given that term by subsections (a) and (b) of section 8 of title 1 except that, for purposes of this subsection, such section 8 shall be applied as if the term "include" in subsection (a) of such section were replaced with the term "mean".