Mariah Chatman v. HHS - Influenza, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) (2024)

Mariah Chatman filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, alleging she suffered a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) after receiving an influenza vaccine on October 11, 2018. While she initially presented for unrelated dental issues weeks after the vaccination, she began complaining of left shoulder pain in January 2019, consistently linking it to the October flu shot.

Medical records documented ongoing pain, a partial-thickness bursal surface tear, tendinitis, impingement syndrome, and eventually, arthroscopic surgery for a torn rotator cuff. The respondent argued that the onset of pain did not occur within the 48-hour window required for a Table SIRVA claim.

However, the court found sufficient evidence, including the petitioner's consistent reporting of the injury's link to the vaccine and common patterns of delayed treatment for SIRVA, to establish entitlement under the Table. The court awarded Mariah Chatman $125,000.00 for pain and suffering and $6,984.54 for unreimbursed medical expenses, totaling $131,984.54.