Can petitioners or respondent appeal if they are dissatisfied by the court’s decision? Who hears the appeal?
Both petitioners and respondent can appeal the decisions of Special Masters in vaccine court. First, a dissatisfied party appeals to a single judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims who reviews the decision of the Special Master. If either party is dissatisfied with that decision, it may appeal the decision to a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. This is almost always the court of last resort for vaccine cases.
