C.V. v. HHS - Tdap, shoulder pain and numbness (2022)

C.V. filed a petition alleging that the Tdap vaccine she received on December 5, 2015, caused her to develop shoulder pain and numbness, which she theorized progressed to a sterile abscess at the injection site, nerve compression, and ultimately a frozen shoulder. She reported initial pain and redness at the injection site for two weeks, followed by a lump that grew and caused increasing pain and weakness.

She also described an incident where a blood pressure cuff allegedly caused the lump to burst, leading to acute nerve injury. The respondent argued that there was a lack of objective medical evidence to support the existence of a lump or sterile abscess, and that the petitioner's symptoms were not consistent with the contemporaneous medical records.

The Special Master found that while the petitioner presented a plausible theory of causation (Althen prong one), she failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the vaccine caused her condition, particularly regarding the existence of a lump and its subsequent rupture. The Special Master noted inconsistencies between the petitioner's account and the medical records, especially the absence of any mention of a lump during a May 10, 2016, doctor's visit, despite the petitioner's claim that it had been present for months and had burst.

The petition was ultimately denied and dismissed.