Matthew J. Johnson v. HHS - Hepatitis A, small fiber neuropathy (2024)

Matthew J. Johnson filed a petition for compensation on December 9, 2016, alleging that he suffered from small fiber neuropathy (SFN) as a result of receiving the hepatitis A/B vaccine (Twinrix) on March 18, 2015.

At the time of vaccination, Mr. Johnson was 37 years old.

He reported experiencing symptoms approximately eight days after vaccination, initially presenting as joint pain, fatigue, and weakness, which evolved into numbness, tingling, and altered temperature sensation in his extremities, consistent with SFN. After reviewing medical records, expert testimony, and medical literature, Special Master Thomas L.

Gowen found that Mr. Johnson had established by a preponderance of the evidence that he suffered from small fiber neuropathy and that the Twinrix vaccine caused his condition.

The Special Master concluded that SFN can be an autoimmune disorder triggered by vaccines, similar to Guillain-Barré syndrome, and that the temporal relationship between the vaccination and the onset of symptoms was medically acceptable. The case was ruled entitled to compensation, with a separate damages order to follow.

Petitioner was represented by Richard Gage of Richard Gage, P.C., and respondent was represented by Benjamin P. Warder of the United States Department of Justice.

The decision was issued on December 30, 2024, based on a ruling signed by Special Master Thomas L. Gowen on December 30, 2024.