David Suarez v. HHS - Tdap, left shoulder injury related to his receipt of a tetanus diphtheria acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccine (2019)

David Suarez filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program on February 17, 2017, alleging a left shoulder injury related to receiving a tetanus diphtheria acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine on September 3, 2015. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, denied that the vaccine caused the petitioner's injury.

Despite the denial, the parties filed a joint stipulation on March 22, 2019, agreeing to an award of compensation. Chief Special Master Nora Beth Dorsey found the stipulation reasonable and adopted it as the decision of the Court.

The award included a lump sum payment of $40,000.00 payable to the petitioner and an additional $935.47 to reimburse a Medicaid lien, payable jointly to the petitioner and the State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative Services. The decision was issued on March 25, 2019.

The public decision does not describe the petitioner's counsel, respondent's counsel, the specific onset of symptoms, medical examinations, treatments, or expert testimony. This case was processed as a Table claim for Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA).