Catrina Smith v. HHS - Tdap, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) (2025)

Catrina Smith 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 a Tdap vaccine on May 24, 2023. She claimed the injury was a defined Table injury and that she experienced residual effects for more than six months.

Respondent denied that Petitioner sustained a SIRVA, that the vaccine caused her injury, or that her condition was a sequela of a vaccine-related injury. Despite the denial, the parties filed a joint stipulation for compensation.

The court found the stipulation reasonable and adopted it as its decision. Catrina Smith was awarded a lump sum of $63,500.00, representing compensation for all items of damages available under Section 15(a) of the Vaccine Act.

The award was to be paid through an ACH deposit to Petitioner’s counsel’s IOLTA account for prompt disbursement.