Maurice Goodgame v. HHS - Tdap, cellulitis (2019)

Maurice Goodgame received a Tdap vaccine on April 21, 2015. Three days later, she presented to the emergency room with pain in her left arm where she received the vaccination and was diagnosed with cellulitis.

She was prescribed an antibiotic and did not seek further medical attention for this condition. The decision notes that Ms.

Goodgame had prior and subsequent injuries, including a left shoulder issue years before vaccination, a left ankle injury in 2013, and a fractured left ankle, neck, and back injuries in a car accident on June 6, 2015. She also injured her right thumb in February 2016.

The petitioner filed a petition on March 13, 2017, alleging injury from the Tdap vaccine. The respondent argued that the evidence did not establish that Ms.

Goodgame's vaccine-caused injury lasted more than six months, a requirement for compensation. The court found that Ms.

Goodgame's statement to her orthopedist on June 23, 2015, that she had no problems with her left arm or shoulders before the June 6, 2015 car accident, weighed heavily against a finding of a prolonged injury. The court concluded that Ms.

Goodgame's cellulitis resolved before June 5, 2015, and therefore did not meet the six-month severity requirement. The petition was denied.