Millions of children and adults receive the Flu Vaccine each year in the United States. The government says these shots are perfectly safe, but with each flu season, a small number of people suffer life-threatening reactions to flu immunization.
Maison Law stands ready to represent California victims in flu vaccine injury claims to make sure patients receive everything they need to recover. We are also ready to compassionately represent families who have lost a loved one to the effects of a flu vaccine. Contact us for a free consultation to find out about the benefits available to you and your family.
Flu Shot Dangers for California Residents
According to the CDC, an estimated 10 million to 40 million people a year get the flu in the U.S. Anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 victims die from the flu each year. The numbers of cases vary because the flu virus mutates each year and each new versions take a different toll on Americans.
The flu is a serious health risk for everyone, but the flu vaccine, in shot or spray form, can prevent or lessen the severity of a flu case. The shot is recommended for children as young as six months and for most adults. The vaccine is an effective defense, but sadly, for a small number of flu vaccine recipients, the inoculation will cause severe health reactions.
The shot or spray form of the flu vaccine either uses a deactivated form of the flu virus or a particle designed to look like the flu virus. This injection is supposed to help the body’s immune system form safeguards against the real flu virus. Sadly, the injections can sometimes cause a patient’s body to react in unintended and dangerous ways.
Types of Flu Shot Side Effects for Some Patients
The CDC admits that some studies have linked cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) with patients’ exposure to the flu vaccination. GBS is a rare disorder where the body’s immune system damages nerves. The damage to the nerves causes muscle weakness and paralysis. Most people fully recover from GBS, but some have permanent nerve damage.
Flu vaccine patients have noted other side effects including serious health complications. These are only some of the serious health hazards some flu vaccine recipients have reported:
- Shoulder Injury – A reaction at the site of the shot.
- Seizures – Sudden electrical disturbances in the brain that can affect consciousness, memory, and control over the body.
- Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) — Inflammation in the brain and spine.
- Optic neuritis — Swelling damages the optic nerve affecting visual information sent to the brain. The damage left by optic neuritis increases a patient’s chances of developing multiple sclerosis.
- Brachial neuritis – A form of peripheral neuropathy characterized by pain or loss of function in the nerves that carry signals back and forth along the central nervous system.
- Encephalopathy – a brain disease that can alter a patient’s mental state. It can be caused by the body’s reaction to a virus.
- Cerebellar ataxia – Poor muscle control after the part of the brain that controls muscle coordination is damaged. Victims experience clumsiness and much more serious instances of a loss of body control.
- Bell’s Palsy – A reaction to a virus that causes one side of the face to droop. Physical therapy is often needed to help patients return to normal.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis — An autoimmune and inflammatory disease that usually attacks the joints of victims.
Flu vaccine recipients may suffer any number of these reactions or other reactions that are equally as debilitating. These are all serious health issues and victims shouldn’t have to fight through recovery while worrying about the cost of medical care.
Victims must speak with a skilled California Vaccine Injury Lawyer to find out their best path to receiving compensation. They’ll need full support for their health care costs and for the other hardships that arise when victims are exposed to a harmful substance.
Filing a Flu Vaccine Claim Under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
In 1986, the United States Congress adopted the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act that, in turn, created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).
The VICP offers an easier path for those injured by the flu vaccine to secure the support they need in recovery. These are no-fault claims that require a lower burden of proof for plaintiffs. Basically, you won’t have to have as strong of evidence that a flu shot caused your illness to win compensation.
The money comes from a huge fund that all vaccine makers pay into. Those makers include AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. The claims are filed with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims where the amount of your settlement is decided.
In order to be eligible to receive compensation from the VICP fund, affected patients must meet one of these criteria:
- Patients must have experienced harmful flu shot symptoms longer than 6 months, or
- Patients are also eligible if they required inpatient hospital care and surgical intervention, or
- The families of deceased flu vaccine victims are eligible to file a VICP flu shot injury claim if they lost a loved one after a fatal reaction to the vaccine.
The VICP makes it easier for flu vaccine victims to secure financial compensation, but proof is still required. An experienced California Vaccine Injury Attorney helps you track down medical records from as far back as necessary to make sure your case can’t be rejected due to a lack of evidence. Your lawyer also protects your interests during negotiations with federal attorneys to see that you receive what’s fair for what you and your family have been through.
The Health Resources & Services Administration website goes over the further eligibility requirements for flu vaccine victims exploring filing claims.
How Long Do I Have to File a Flu Vaccine Injury Claim?
California flu vaccine victims and victims across the country are extended a 3-year window to file an injury claim. This three-year statute of limitations begins to count down from the first time the patient noticed symptoms.
This may convince you that there’s plenty of time to wait, but you should act quickly if you have a harmful reaction to the flu shot or spray. The sooner you begin work on your claim, the easy it will be for your California vaccine injury lawyer to recover recent medical documents and other evidence. The sooner your claim is started, the sooner you can hope to receive money to pay your medical bills and other losses.
Compensation for California Flu Vaccination Injury Victims
A flu vaccine injury will leave victims and their families with more than just hospital invoices. Many other hardships will arise for victims and often these damages can serve to do serious financial harm.
Your California Vaccine Injury Lawyer will ensure that every hardship you and your family face are accurately listed in your claim. Anything that gets left off won’t be eligible for compensation in a flu vaccine injury settlement.
These and other factors can earn compensation in the form of a vaccination injury settlement check:
- All medical bills and estimates on care expected to be needed in the years ahead. This can include lifelong support if a flu vaccine victim suffers a permanent disability.
- Lost paychecks since a victim’s been sick and unable to work. Estimates on the income victims lose in the future while unable to return to work.
- Support for the physical pain and emotional trauma you’ve endured.
- Support for families filing on behalf of deceased vaccine injury victims. After such a tragedy, families will face funeral expenses and leftover hospital bills. They could also be struggling after losing the income the deceased can no longer provide. These and other hardships should all earn support for grieving families.
Contact a California Flu Vaccination Injury Lawyer
If you or your child or loved one suffered a severe reaction to a flu vaccine, please make sure you’re aware of the substantial compensation that is available to you and your family.
Maison Law of California exists to make sure patients who suffered frightening side effects or lost their lives after getting a flu immunization receive justice.
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, offers a free and confidential consultation for vaccination injury victims and their families. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your case is worth and how to earn the support that’s only fair from the federal government. Contact us as soon as possible.
