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Most people who get a flu shot don’t have any significant side effects. But a small percentage do experience severe adverse reactions. These reactions often involve the body’s neurological and autoimmune system.
In 1986, the U.S. government created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) to help pay damages to people injured by severe reactions. This can include compensation for an individual’s medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering; however, not everyone qualifies. VICP claims must meet specific medical and legal requirements, follow strict deadlines, and go through a formal process. Because these cases are complex, it’s best to work with an experienced vaccine injury law firm.
At mctlaw, we have more than 25 years of experience handling vaccine injury cases. We have represented clients nationwide, successfully recovering hundreds of millions of dollars on their behalf. If you suffered from a serious reaction to a flu shot, contact us today for a free case review.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VICP
Get Our Step by Step Guide to Navigating the Vaccine Injury Program
What to Know About Flu Vaccines
Flu vaccines work by causing your immune system to create antibodies that protect you against infection by the influenza virus. Each year, vaccines are formulated to protect against the flu strains most likely to circulate. There are three main types of flu shots:
Quadrivalent vaccines
protect against four different flu strains
Trivalent vaccines
protect against three strains
Recombinant vaccines
egg-free formula for patients with egg allergies
Flu vaccines are available under a variety of brand names, including Alfluria, Fluarix, FluLaval, Flucelvax, Fluzone, Fluad, Flublok, and FluMist.
What Are the Side Effects of Flu Shots?
Most people experience only mild, short-term side effects after a flu shot. These reactions are typically a sign that your body is building protection against the flu and usually resolve on their own within a few days. These side effects are considered normal and not dangerous. Common side effects can include:
- Soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site
- Mild fever
- Fatigue or general tiredness
- Headache
- Muscle or joint aches
- Chills
- Nausea
In very rare cases, however, flu vaccines can trigger serious adverse reactions, such as:
- Guillain-Barré Syndrome
- Encephalitis
- Intussusception
- Bell’s Palsy
- SIRVA – Shoulder Injury
- Brachial Neuritis
- CIDP – Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
- ADEM – Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
- Transverse Myelitis
- Paralysis
- Pemphigus
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- Thrombocytopenia
- Optic Neuritis – Neuromyelitis Optica
- Fainting – Syncope
- Dermatomyositis – JDM
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome – CRPS
- Henoch-Schlönlein Purpura
- Aplastic Anemia
Guillain-Barré Syndrome GBS
GBS is an autoimmune disorder that causes your immune system to attack the protective layer around the nerves.
The symptoms of GBS can begin several days after a flu shot.
I Suffered From a Serious Side Effect After a Flu Shot. Can I File a Vaccine Injury Claim?
If you experienced a serious reaction to a flu vaccine, you may be eligible to recover compensation through the VICP, but not every reaction qualifies. In general, the reaction must result in a significant injury which:
- Lasts at least six months, or
- Requires hospitalization and surgery, or
- Results in death.
There are also a number of other requirements. For instance, you generally must file your claim within three years after the first symptom of injury. Additionally, certain reactions are only covered by the VICP if they occurred within a specific timeframe after the vaccine was administered. For these reasons, consulting a vaccine injury attorney is the best way to determine whether you may be able to recover compensation.
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What You Have to Prove in a Flu Vaccine Injury Case
Filing a claim with the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is only the first step. There is a formal process you must follow. To get compensation from the court, you have to prove that there is a causal relationship between the vaccine and the injury, meaning you must show that the vaccine triggered your injury. To do this, you must present evidence such as:
- Medical theories, such as peer-reviewed, scientific studies showing a connection between a particular vaccine and a particular injury.
- A plausible series of events showing a cause-and-effect relationship between the vaccine and the injury
- A timeline that clearly connects the injury to the vaccine
Our Client Case Results
Our attorneys have won hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for our vaccine injury clients. See more than 600+ of our case results and their award amounts.
Having Trouble Deciding Who Will Represent You in Your Vaccine Case?
We make it easy with our simple guide to choosing the right lawyer for your vaccine case.
How Our Flu Vaccine Injury Attorneys Can Help
Flu vaccine injury claims are legally and medically complex, and presenting the necessary evidence often requires specialized knowledge of vaccine injury law and science. Although you are not required to hire an attorney to file a VICP claim, having one on your side can make a key difference, and it comes at no cost to you.
Mctlaw helps clients by handling the entire process, from gathering medical records and expert evidence to filing petitions and presenting cases before the Vaccine Court. Over the past 25 years, we have recovered more than $300 million in vaccine payouts for thousands of clients across the United States. One hundred percent of that money has gone directly to clients, as our clients never owe us legal fees.
If You Suffered From a Severe Reaction to a Flu Shot, Get in Touch With mctlaw Today
Serious reactions to flu vaccinations are rare, but when they happen, they can cause serious harm. While individuals and families may be eligible to receive compensation through the VICP, these cases are not simple personal injury cases. They demand specific knowledge, and furthermore, not all attorneys are able to practice law before the Federal Vaccine Court.
Mctlaw brings decades of experience handling vaccine injury claims. We are ready to review your case and assist you throughout the claim process. Call us today to learn more.
Vaccine Injury from the Flu Shot?
There is a time limit to file a claim, so don’t wait to find out if you qualify.
Jessica A. Olins’ practice at mctlaw, focuses on representing clients in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Ms. Olins graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Redlands University and graduated from American University Washington College of Law. While at Redlands University, Ms. Olins excelled in leading and training her colleagues through new developments in spatial mapping, involving geographic information system software and geodatabase management applications. Her law practice also involves engaging in subpoena enforcement in federal district courts nationwide. Ms. Olins is a member of the Vaccine Injury Practitioners Bar Committee, assisting in the preparation and organization of the VIP Bar Conferences. Ms. Olins is a member of the American Association for Justice and its New Lawyers Division. Additionally, Ms. Olins is a member of the Young Lawyers Division of the United States Court of Federal Claims.
References
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/in-depth/flu-shots/art-20048000
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/flushot.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-hepatitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352153
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/brachial-neuritis
- https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6263/dermatomyositis
- https://www.encephalitis.info/what-is-encephalitis
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/fainting.html
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/henoch-schonlein-purpura
- https://dermnetnz.org/topics/linear-iga-bullous-disease/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neuromyelitis-optica/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pemphigus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350409
- https://www.hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/data/index.html
- https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/vaccine-compensation/data/data-statistics-report.pdf
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccines.htm
- https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/types
- https://www.gbs-cidp.org/variants/miller-fisher-syndrome/
