Influenza (Flu) Vaccine Injuries
Injured Within 3 Years of Vaccination? Call for a Free Consultation
What is the Flu?
Influenza—or “the flu” for short—is an all-too-common infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. It is transmitted through the air by coughs or sneezes and can result in fever, chills, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, and muscle pain in its ever-expanding wake.
Nausea and vomiting are frequent symptoms in children. For a vaccine injury claim to be eligible, the claim needs to be filed within three years from the onset of adverse symptoms.
Flu Vaccine Side Effects
Most people have no side effects from the flu vaccine, while some may experience adverse reactions such as infection at the injection site, shoulder stiffness and pain, numbness and tingling of their extremities, paralysis, and other autoimmune disease reactions.” However, the flu vaccine has been reported to cause conditions such as:
- Shoulder Injury
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
- Transverse Myelitis (TM)
- Neuromyelitis optica (NMO)
- Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
- CIDP
- Optic neuritis / Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Brachial neuritis
- Seizures
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Encephalopathy
- Cerebellar ataxia
This is not an exhaustive list of severe side effects that have been linked to the flu vaccine. Severe reactions to the flu vaccine must be taken seriously. If left untreated, it could lead to permanent injuries, especially to the shoulder, and in extreme cases, death.
Whether the flu vaccine is administered by injection (the flu shot) or by nasal spray—and whether it includes live or inactive cultures—there remains a very small risk of severe injury. Because the flu virus regularly mutates, flu shots have to be regularly modified to keep up with the changing virus. This makes long-term analysis and review more difficult, which is why vaccines are constantly monitored and evaluated.
Can I Get Nerve Damage from the Flu Vaccine?
One of the viruses included in the flu vaccine is meant to target Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). This disease manifests itself by causing their immune system to damage their own nerves. If you develop any symptoms of GBS or nerve damage from the vaccine, you may be entitled to compensation.
Compensation for Flu-Vaccine Related Injuries
The claims are adjudicated in a “no-fault” system. They are not filed against a vaccine manufacturer, hospital, clinic, or doctor. The claim must be filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington D.C. All claims must be filed within three (3) years of the adverse reaction. The amount of compensation awarded depends on the extent of the flu vaccine-related illness. According to the HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration), nearly 47% of flu-vaccine-related claims that were filed have been compensated.
How Our Vaccine Injury Attorneys Can Help
Our decades of legal experience have helped us emerge as a national leader in vaccine-related litigation. If you’ve suffered any severe symptoms in the aftermath of an influenza vaccination, please contact us immediately for a free evaluation. The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program pays reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs separately from any compensation award. Therefore, as a Petitioner, you do not need to worry about any out-of-pocket expenses to prosecute your case. The client-focused approach of our vaccine injury lawyers ensures that you’ll get the attention you deserve!
Injured? Call our firm today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
