“Flu Season” often runs November through May, and for the 2018-2019 season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates between 163-168 million doses of the flu vaccine will be administered. The flu, or influenza, is a respiratory illness that is contagious. It attacks cells in the body by spreading through one’s respiratory tracts. Symptoms of the flu include aches all over the body, fatigue, muscle weakness, and fever.
Side Effects of the Flu Shot
Some of the most common side effects that you can suffer from after being vaccinated are soreness, redness, headaches, fatigue, fever, and nausea. An allergic reaction may be possible too, and signs of that include difficulty breathing, severe swelling, dizziness, fast heartbeat, and wheezing.
A rare, but severe, side effect of the flu shot is Guillian-Barre Syndrome (also known as GBS). This disease is a neurological disorder, and it actually causes the victim’s own immune system to attack his or her nerve cells within the body. The immune system, by mistake, attacks part of the nervous system.
The first symptoms of GBS are often tingling and weakness in the extremities, starting in the feet/legs and spreading up into the arms. GBS can be brief and resolve quickly or it can lead to paralysis. In more significant cases, symptoms can manifest themselves over the course of several weeks.
Compensation Through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund
There is no shortage of medical research and studies that claim vaccines are beneficial for society, overall. Statistically speaking, in 2016-2017, the flu shot prevented over 5.3 million flu-related illnesses, and generally speaking, getting the flu shot can reduce the likelihood of having to go to the doctor by 40-60%. On the other hand, adverse reactions like GBS do happen, and when they do, the consequences can be life-altering.
In 1986, Congress enacted the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, which created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund (VICP). Included in this federal law were vaccine safety reforms and a system where injured people could file claims in federal court rather than sue the people who manufactured and/or administered the vaccine that injured them. At the time, public policy favored encouragement of drug companies to continue working to develop effective vaccines instead of worrying about being sued.
People with bad flu shot reactions may be eligible for compensation under the VICP. The process of filing with the Federal Claims Court is highly technical, so it is recommended that you contact a flu shot injury lawyer for assistance and legal representation. Attorney fees are paid through the VICP, which means injured parties should not have to pay your vaccine lawyer up front. If your flu vaccine claim is successful, you may recover damages caused by the vaccination, including medical bills, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Injured by the Flu Shot? Talk to a Lawyer Today
Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz is a personal injury law firm dedicated to fighting for injured victims. Our vaccine injury team has the resources to help people who have suffered harm from a variety of vaccinations, including the flu shot. We have offices in Memphis, Jackson, and Knoxville, Tennessee; Jackson and Tupelo, Mississippi; Little Rock and Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Cape Girardeau, Missouri. For a free consultation with an attorney experienced in vaccine injury law, call us today at 800-529-4004 or complete our online form.
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