Scott Taylor v. HHS - Tdap, left shoulder injuries (2020)

Scott Taylor, a 52-year-old male, received a Tdap booster vaccine on July 13, 2015. He alleged that this vaccination caused him to develop left shoulder injuries, specifically Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA).

Mr. Taylor filed his petition on October 26, 2016.

He experienced pain in his left shoulder immediately after the vaccination, which worsened over the following days and weeks. Despite initial hopes that the pain would resolve on its own, it persisted and limited his movement, impacting his ability to work in his small business.

He sought medical treatment, including physical therapy, steroid injections, and ultimately, shoulder surgery. Medical records documented various shoulder pathologies, including tendinopathy, bursitis, impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tearing, and labral tears.

Mr. Taylor's treating physicians and his expert, Dr.

Naveed Natanzi, opined that the Tdap vaccine caused his SIRVA injury, likely due to inadvertent injection into the shoulder's synovial tissues, leading to inflammation. Respondent's expert, Dr.

Geoffrey D. Abrams, argued that Mr.

Taylor's pre-existing diabetes and age-related degenerative changes were the primary causes of his shoulder condition, not the vaccine. The court found that Mr.

Taylor provided preponderant evidence establishing a logical sequence of cause and effect between the Tdap vaccination and his left shoulder injury, satisfying the three prongs of the Althen test for off-Table claims. The court ruled that Mr.

Taylor is entitled to compensation, with damages to be determined in a separate order.