Sarah Whitman Blank v. HHS - Influenza, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) (2025)

Sarah Whitman Blank filed a petition for compensation on April 4, 2023, alleging injury from an influenza vaccine she received on October 24, 2021. Petitioner alleged she sustained a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) within the time period set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table, and that the residual effects of this alleged injury lasted for more than six months.

The respondent denied that Petitioner sustained a SIRVA Table injury, denied that the vaccine caused Petitioner's alleged shoulder injury or any other injury, and denied that her current condition is a sequelae of a vaccine-related injury. Despite the respondent's denials, the parties filed a joint stipulation on May 9, 2025, agreeing to a settlement.

Chief Special Master Brian H. Corcoran found the stipulation reasonable and adopted it as his decision.

Pursuant to the stipulation, the court awarded Sarah Whitman Blank a lump sum of $25,000.00, to be paid through an ACH deposit to Petitioner's counsel's IOLTA account for prompt disbursement to Petitioner. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages.

Petitioner was represented by Howard Scott Gold of Gold Law Firm, LLC, and the respondent was represented by Rachelle Bishop of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The public decision does not describe the specific onset of symptoms, medical examinations, diagnostic tests, treatments, or expert witnesses.