Ginger K. Williford v. HHS - Influenza, left shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) (2025)

On April 17, 2019, Ginger K. Williford filed a petition alleging that an influenza vaccination administered in her left arm on December 28, 2017 caused a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration.

Ms. Williford's case turned heavily on onset because she did not seek shoulder treatment until May 16, 2018, about five and a half months after vaccination.

She testified that her arm hurt immediately, felt more painful than an ordinary flu-shot reaction, and never resolved. Her husband and several friends or family members described hearing early complaints about shoulder or arm pain after the vaccination.

Google search records showed that she searched for shoulder synovitis in January and February 2018, then searched more specifically for prolonged flu-shot arm pain, SIRVA, and vaccine-injury lawyers in May 2018 shortly before seeing orthopedist Dr. Randal Troop.

The medical records contained competing details. When Ms.

Williford saw Dr. Troop, she reported 4.5 months of left shoulder soreness after the flu shot, worsening to severe pain.

MRI findings showed mild rotator cuff tendinopathy, a type II acromion, and mild acromioclavicular degenerative change. She was treated with medication, steroid injection, and physical therapy.

Later records also documented neck pain, tingling, numbness into the hand, possible cervical radiculopathy, trigger point symptoms, and cervical spondylosis; a later motor vehicle accident aggravated neck and shoulder complaints. Treating orthopedist Dr.

Troop later wrote that a vaccine injection placed into the subacromial space could cause subacromial impingement and that the timing was consistent with vaccine causation. On May 20, 2025, Special Master Mindy Michaels Roth issued a fact ruling limited to onset.

She acknowledged many inconsistencies in the testimony and records, including the treatment delay and later cervical symptoms, but found that Ms. Williford developed left arm pain and aching/soreness immediately after the flu vaccination and that the symptoms persisted and worsened over the following months.

The parties later resolved the case by stipulation. Respondent denied that Ms.

Williford suffered a Table SIRVA, denied that the flu vaccine caused her shoulder injury or any other injury, and denied vaccine-related sequelae. On September 2, 2025, Special Master Roth adopted the stipulation and awarded $30,000.00 in a lump sum, payable by ACH deposit to counsel's IOLTA account for prompt disbursement.

Ms. Williford was represented by William E.

Cochran Jr. of Black McLaren.