Jodi Cooper v. HHS - Hepatitis A, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) (2018)

Jodi Cooper filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, alleging that she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) as a result of her October 30, 2015 Hepatitis A vaccination. The case was initially assigned to the Special Processing Unit, and a ruling on entitlement was issued on January 18, 2018, finding Ms.

Cooper entitled to compensation. A damages hearing was subsequently held.

Ms. Cooper, then 51 years old, received the Hepatitis A vaccine in her left deltoid.

She reported excruciating pain shortly after the injection, which she felt was administered too high on her shoulder. She experienced aching for three weeks and delayed seeking medical treatment for over two months due to preparing for a trip to Vietnam and caring for her ailing mother, who subsequently passed away.

She first sought medical treatment on January 6, 2016, and was diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis. Her physical therapy evaluation on January 19, 2016, noted positive impingement tests and assessed her with impingement and tendinitis.

She later reported to her physical therapist that her pain began shortly after the vaccination and that she had researched similar problems online. An orthopedist evaluated her on March 11, 2016, noting restricted mobility and pain consistent with adhesive capsulitis, suspecting it was aggravated by the vaccine injection.

The court found that Ms. Cooper's injury was caused-in-fact by the vaccination, satisfying the Althen test for off-Table claims.

The court awarded her $110,000.00 for past pain and suffering and $3,642.33 for unreimbursable expenses, for a total award of $113,642.33.