Angelena Walker v. HHS - Influenza, Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) (2022)

Angelena Walker filed a petition on June 24, 2019, alleging she suffered a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) after receiving an influenza vaccine on September 7, 2017. The respondent conceded that her claim met the Table criteria for SIRVA and that she was entitled to compensation.

A ruling on entitlement was issued on November 17, 2020. The parties could not agree on damages, leading to a hearing on October 29, 2021.

The decision awarding damages, issued on January 11, 2022, granted Angelena Walker $122,000.00 for pain and suffering and $3,261.34 for past unreimbursable expenses, totaling $125,261.34. The injury involved surgery, significant physical therapy, steroid injections, and MRIs over approximately 24 months, though her reported pain was often mild and she experienced periods of improvement.

The court found her case analogous to prior SIRVA cases that resulted in similar awards, considering the protracted treatment but less severe reported pain compared to those precedents.