Kathryn Sitton v. HHS - Hepatitis B, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) (2026)

Kathryn Sitton filed a petition alleging a Table claim of shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) resulting from a Hepatitis B vaccine received on February 14, 2020. The primary dispute in this ruling was the onset of her shoulder pain.

Petitioner consistently stated in affidavits and to medical providers that her right shoulder pain began shortly after the vaccination, with some records indicating onset on the day of vaccination (February 14, 2020) and others within a few weeks. While some early medical records were inconsistent or lacked specific details about shoulder complaints, Petitioner supplemented the record with additional evidence, including an email to her PCP and intake forms, which corroborated her claims of early onset.

The court found it more likely than not that the onset of Petitioner’s shoulder pain occurred within 48 hours of vaccination, satisfying the Table requirement for SIRVA. However, the court noted that other objections raised by the Respondent regarding the SIRVA claim, not discussed in this ruling, might require further evaluation.

The parties were encouraged to pursue informal resolution, and a status report was ordered to confirm settlement discussions.