Vaccines are a critical part of our society and are extremely necessary in preventing diseases that were eliminated decades ago. They are also helpful in curbing outbreaks. Measles, polio, and chicken pox are just some of the diseases that have largely been eliminated due to vaccines. Influenza on the other hand is common place in our culture, but the flu shot helps minimize the impact and limits any nationwide outbreaks.
Vaccines May Have Serious Side Effects
Vaccines are not without their side effects or adverse events. Vaccine-related injuries are real and there is now literature to support the causal relationship. The flu shot has been repeatedly linked with the onset of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. Other disease related to vaccines include Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), aka “lupus”, myositis, cerebellar ataxia or ataxia, Bell’s palsy, Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), Vasculitis, and Optic Neuritis.
Shoulder Injuries: A Common Side Effect of Improper Vaccination
Shoulder injuries from the improper administration of vaccines is also becoming an increasing issue in our society. With the sheer volume of vaccines administered each year, pharmacies have become the go-to location for people to receiving their annual flu shot. SIRVA, or shoulder injury related to vaccine administration, has become commonplace when the administration of the vaccine inserts the needle too high in the shoulder and into the bursa sac of the shoulder region. This improper place causes an inflammatory response in the shoulder that results in severe pain, discomfort, soreness, and decreased range of motion. Individuals with SIRVA often need treatment, physical therapy and even surgical intervention. The most common SIRVA diagnoses are: brachial neuritis, brachial plexus, torn rotator cuff, frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis, shoulder bursitis, shoulder tendinitis, and shoulder impingement syndrome.
VICP Is a “No-Fault” Compensation Program
GBS and SIRVA cases are the two most common injuries in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) or Vaccine Program. The Vaccine Program. was established in 1988 to guarantee that a sufficient number of vaccines were manufactured for the public, to stabilize vaccine manufacturing expenses, and most importantly, to provide an efficient forum for those who have suffered adverse effects from vaccines to obtain meaningful compensation. The VICP is a “no-fault” compensation program, which means that individuals only need to prove that the vaccine caused the alleged injury. No proof of a defective product is required.
All cases, no matter where the injured victim is located, are filed in the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. In order to handle cases in the VICP, an attorney must be admitted to the United States Court of Federal Claims and they must possess the vast knowledge and intricacies of the VICP, the law, the medicine and science. Having a licensed vaccine lawyer handle a vaccine-injury case is paramount.
Those Injured by Vaccines May Have Legal Recourse
The flu shot is the most commonly litigated vaccine in the Vaccine Program today just because hundreds of millions of flu shots are given each year. If you know someone suffering from an acute onset of shoulder pain or from GBS, ask if they have a recent history of receiving a vaccine. While vaccines are safe, most individuals are unaware that their ongoing health issues are related to their recent vaccine, and there are even more unaware that a legal recourse exists to compensate their injuries.
