What are the Side Effects of a Tetanus Shot?

Various respiratory and bacterial diseases exist today. Vaccines are created to combat the effects of these diseases. However, the human body can react to vaccines in different ways. It is not uncommon for people to suffer side effects after a Tetanus injection.

You must get legal assistance if you suffer adverse side effects that alter your life after receiving a vaccine. You could be eligible for compensation for your vaccine injury. Speak to the nationwide vaccine injury attorneys from Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates.

When you should get a tetanus shot

Generally speaking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting tetanus vaccine boosters every decade. The shot can help protect against tetanus. This vaccine is important because you can contract a tetanus infection from the environment. Often, people will get the shot when a dog or other disease-carrying animals bite them. It is also common after being exposed to rust. The bacteria can enter your body from scrapes and puncture wounds.

Annually, millions of people in the United States receive a tetanus shot. There are usually some mild side effects. However, in some cases, there are severe side effects. A moderate or severe side effect can take months or years to recover. If you or a loved one suffers ongoing side effects after a tetanus shot, you should discuss your legal options with our vaccine injury lawyer. We can help you pursue compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

The CDC has the following suggestions for the TDaP vaccine. This vaccine prevents a trifecta of injuries, including tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Children under seven years old should not get the vaccine at all. Recommendations include:

• A single dose is suggested for those 11 or 12 years old.
• Any adult who has not previously gotten the TDaP
• Anyone pregnant should get a dose early in the third trimester. This will help the fetus from contracting these diseases as an infant.
• A booster dose is recommended every ten years.

If you have a severe wound or burn, you may need a booster shot after five years. You can get the vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. You should inform your healthcare provider and reconsider the vaccine if any of the following apply to you:

• Suffer seizures or nervous system issues
• Guillain-Barre Syndrome
• Been in a coma within seven days of a previous vaccine
• Had a previous allergic reaction to the vaccine
• Suffered severe swelling or pain after a prior dose of a vaccine

If you are sick, you can postpone your vaccine. Work with your healthcare provider to assess whether you should get the vaccine or wait. Several risks come with vaccines. If you suffer severe side effects, you may be eligible for compensation. Get help from a vaccine injury lawyer from Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates.

Our attorneys can provide affordable legal advocacy to individuals who have suffered vaccine injuries. Let us go to court for you so that you can focus on recovering.

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Potential side effects of the tetanus vaccine

Tetanus shots are generally seen as safe for most people. It is also an effective combatant against tetanus infection. Side effects are common in most instances. Often, you will experience headaches, sore arms, and swelling. Fevers are also possible. These side effects usually go away in a day or so. You should monitor yourself for worsening or ongoing symptoms after any shot or vaccine.

While some people may experience mild side effects, there are rare instances where the side effects are much worse. Tetanus shots can result in allergic reactions. This can cause facial swelling and difficulty breathing. Allergic reactions can be life-threatening and often require immediate medical attention. Other severe and rare side effects of the tetanus vaccine are SIRVA and brachial neuritis. We will discuss these in further detail later.

While side effects are common to varying degrees, you must remember that the risk of tetanus without a vaccine is much higher than that with it. Tetanus can be fatal. It is also important to assess individual risk factors with your primary physician. In cases of emergency, it could be challenging to evaluate whether you should get the shot. The medical team treating you could deem the risk of the shot outweigh the risks of not getting it, which could save your life. Even so, if you are left with permanent injuries, you should speak to a local vaccine injury lawyer.

The most common side effects of the tetanus vaccine

Side effects are common after most vaccines. They are usually not cause for concern. You may experience the following after a tetanus shot:

• Nausea: you may feel queasiness or mild nausea from the tetanus shot.
• Mild fever: while many people become concerned when they experience a fever, it is normal after a tetanus vaccine. If it is a mild fever, it will go away within a day or so. More severe fevers are cause for concern, however.
• Headache: you may experience a mild to moderate headache for a few days after a shot.
• Body aches: it is possible and common to experience muscle pain and body aches.
• Fatigue: tiredness and fatigue are typical for a few days.
• Soreness, swelling, or redness: within a few minutes or hours of your vaccine, you may experience redness or swelling in your arm. Tenderness and soreness are common as well. This can last a few days, and it will typically disappear.

As you can see, most of these mild side effects are common after a tetanus vaccine. They can present within a few days and last as long. When they last more than a few days, you should seek medical attention as there could be something else amiss. You may also want to call Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates for legal advice.

Moderate vaccine side effects

While less common, moderate side effects are possible after a tetanus vaccine. If you experience these symptoms, that can be a sign that there is something else going on. You will need additional medical treatment. You may require tests and examinations to understand how the shot impacts you. Some of these side effects are similar to mild ones. The key difference is they are more severe, like higher fevers, longer-lasting symptoms, etc. Potential moderate tetanus vaccine side effects include:

• Joint pain or stiffness
• Fevers over 102.2 F: if you have a fever over 102.2, this is a moderate side effect of a tetanus shot. It is concerning to have this high of a fever after a vaccine.
• Neck, groin, or armpit gland swelling: any swelling in your glands is concerning. It can be a sign of a moderate side effect of tetanus.
• The numbness or tingling in hands or feet is a moderate side effect. This is a significant indicator that something is wrong.
• Flu-like symptoms: after a vaccination, you could experience flu symptoms like chills, headaches, and fatigue. These may seem like common or minor symptoms. However, they are considered moderate if they last more than a few days.

You must contact your medical team if you experience any of the above symptoms. You will want to manage these symptoms and find a treatment plan. You will also want to find the underlying cause. If the tetanus shot was the cause of these symptoms, you may be eligible to seek compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Call our national vaccine injury lawyers for more information.

Severe side effects

Severe side effects after a tetanus shot are rare. However, when they do occur, it can be like changing. These side effects can be deadly. You must seek emergency medical attention if you suffer from these symptoms. You must then speak to a nationwide vaccine injury lawyer. You may suffer three severe side effects after a tetanus shot, including brachial neuritis, SIRVA, and an allergic reaction.

Anaphylaxis, more commonly known as an allergic reaction, is a life-threatening condition. When you have an allergic reaction to anything, you may have trouble breathing and an increased heart rate. Many people also break out in hives. It is an extremely rare occurrence, but it is possible. If you were to suffer an allergic reaction, it would happen within minutes. The longest you may take to show is a few hours. Immediate treatment is essential as your throat may close, and you could die.

Shoulder injuries (SIRVA)

Another severe reaction to a tetanus shot is SIRVA. This is short for shoulder injury related to vaccine administration. This condition can happen when a medical professional improperly administers the vaccine they cause an injury to your shoulder. You may suffer stiffness, an impact on your range of motion, and pain. It may show up within days or weeks of vaccine administration.

The injury can happen during any vaccine administration. It is often associated with TDaP shots. It usually occurs if the vaccine is too high or too deep in the shoulder. When this happens, it can cause damage to ligaments, tendons, and nerves. It can have impacts on your daily life. In the worst cases, it results in permanent disability. Immediately following your symptoms, you should get a medical evaluation. Your medical team can offer a diagnosis after conducting a physical exam and imaging; you may need an MRI or an ultrasound.

A SIRVA diagnosis can make you eligible for compensation through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation program. Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates is here to help with the legal process.

Ways to treat your SIRVA injury

You can treat SIRVA in several ways. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may require physical therapy or injections. Extreme cases can require surgery. In mild cases, you will often take over-the-counter medication and be encouraged to rest. Physical therapy after your rest period is also possible if you have issues with your range of motion. Moderate to severe cases may require corticosteroid injections. This will require a specialist to assess your injury and treatment plan.

Extreme cases of SIRVA will require surgery. If there is significant damage to your shoulder, surgery can repair some of it. While undergoing treatment, it is essential to report all of your symptoms. Your healthcare team will adjust your treatment plan depending on how well your symptoms improve or worsen.

Following medical treatment, reporting your symptoms is also essential to your legal claim. Your medical records are the best evidence we can provide when pursuing compensation. They will detail your treatments and how they have affected your condition. It is best to be honest with your doctors and local vaccine injury lawyer.

Brachial Neuritis (Parsonage-Turner Syndrome)

This is an infrequent condition that can result from a tetanus shot. Recovery can take months or years. Even so, you may suffer long-term effects. Treatment can involve physical therapy, surgery, and pain management. You may experience numbness, shoulder pain, and weakness. This will typically happen in the arm where the shot was administered. You will see signs within a few days or weeks.

PTS can happen after any vaccine administration and is a neurological condition. Your immune system has an adverse reaction to the shot. It will attack the brachial plexus nerves. These nerves impact the movement and sensation of your hands, arms, and shoulders. You can lose mobility in these areas, making it challenging to complete tasks. Symptoms may include weakness, numbness, and severe pain. The symptoms can become so dire that they require immediate hospitalization.

To recover from this condition, you have few treatment options. Instead, treatment focuses on preventing complications and managing symptoms. If you can recover, it will take several months or years. This is the most severe side effect after a tetanus shot. It can prevent you from living your life. You must take legal action to get compensation for your losses.

Filing a vaccine injury claim

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was made to help injury victims and their families recover compensation when they suffer a vaccine injury. The program is meant to be a non-adversarial and non–litigious process. It makes it easier for vaccine injury victims to get the money they deserve. However, receiving compensation is not as simple as it seems. You should work with a local vaccine injury attorney to handle legal complexities.

Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates is experienced in handling these claims. We will pay any upfront costs associated with prosecuting your case. This often includes copying fees, filing fees, expert witness fees, etc. We obtain payment from the Court of Federal Claims when the issue is resolved. You do not pay us any fees, and we do not work on a contingency basis. Our firm has over a 90% success rate.

When building your case, we will first look at your medical records. This will list every medical provider who treated your vaccine injury. We will request records from each independently if you go to various locations. Once we have your entire file, we will present your case to the Court of Federal Claims.

The petition is filed with the Court in Washington, D.C., and is assigned to a Special Master. This is a specialized judge who works on vaccine injury claims. There are eight of these Special Masters. Jeffery S. Pop & Associates has worked with all eight judges to seek compensation for our clients.

The legal process

If your claim goes further than an initial petition, you will face the Department of Health and Human Services as a defendant. The Department of Justice will represent the HHS. They Will Review your petition and decide whether to uphold or challenge your claim. They can deny or acknowledge your vaccine was responsible for your injury.

When the HHS determines the vaccine did cause your injury, the next step is determining your claim value. There will be some negotiations for the damage amount. If both parties cannot agree, the next step is a trial. The hearing will be before a Special Master. The first hearing will be to determine if the vaccine caused your injury. You may have testimony to help with this part. Parties who may testify include:

• Doctors
• You
• Family
• Friends
• Expert witnesses hired for you

After hearing all testimony, the Special master will review all the evidence and determine if the vaccine was the cause of your injury. If the proceedings go in your favor, then the Special Master will assess your damages. Sometimes, a second hearing is necessary to decide them.

Sometimes, these cases can take a year to resolve. Other issues can take several years. When seeking the compensation, you could be eligible for monetary damages for the following:

• Past and future lost wages
• Past and future medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Attorney fees and costs

For most of these items, you will not have limits. However, there is a general limit of $250,000 for pain and suffering.

Call our Vaccine Injury Attorney Team for Help Today

You must seek medical attention if you suffer an injury or severe side effects from a tetanus shot. Your diagnosis may make you eligible for a monetary award through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The legal process can be complex and full of hoops to jump through. However, our experienced SIRVA lawyers know the process and the Special Masters. Call Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates at (888) 921-3995 to schedule an initial consultation about your vaccine injury.

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“If you or your child have been injured by a vaccine, reach out to us at Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates. With over 40 years of experience in vaccine litigation and a success rate over 90%, our firm is equipped to represent you in the United States Federal Court of Claims. We understand the complexities of vaccine-related illnesses and are committed to providing competent representation.”

Jeffrey S. Pop