As flu season draws to a close, many people are realizing that they never got around to getting their annual flu shot. With everything going at the end of 2020 and the start of 2021, this is understandable. Despite low vaccination rates, the 2020-2021 flu season was one of the least-impactful on record (due in large part to social distancing and mask-wearing to prevent the spread of COVID-19), and the low number of flu-related deaths is being viewed as one of the few silver linings of the pandemic. Continue reading
Author Archives: Leah Durant
CDC Provides Guidance for Getting the Flu Shot During the COVID-19 Pandemic
While the COVID-19 vaccine is making headlines – and with good reason – it is important to remember that this isn’t the only vaccine the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend. We are currently in the middle of the 2020-2021 flu season, and the CDC has stated that getting the flu vaccine is “more important than ever” during the pandemic. Continue reading
What are the Signs of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)?
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a potentially serious medical condition that has been linked to the annual flu shot. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) provides compensation for GBS from the flu shot, and GBS is presumed to result from the flu shot when symptoms onset within three to 42 days of immunization. When it comes to GBS and the flu vaccine, there is a lot you need to know—including when to seek treatment and when to pursue a VICP claim. Continue reading
HRSA: These Three Factors Influence Settlement Decisions for Vaccine Injury Claims
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) provides compensation to individuals and families who are coping with the effects of vaccine-related illnesses and injuries. It is administered by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). HRSA publishes a monthly Data & Statistics report with information about claims filed under the VICP; and, on the introductory page of the report, it outlines three factors that influence decisions regarding settlement. Continue reading
What Happens When You File a Vaccine Injury Claim Under the VICP?
While the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a federal benefit program, securing compensation under the VICP is wholly unlike seeking benefits under Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security. In order to seek compensation for a vaccine injury, you must file a petition in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (which is also known as the Vaccine Court), and you must be prepared to litigate your claim if necessary. However, many VICP claims settle; and, if you hire an experienced vaccine injury lawyer to represent you, you may be able to obtain a fair settlement without the need to argue your case in the Vaccine Court. Continue reading
What Do You Need to Know Before You File a Vaccine Injury Claim?
Filing a successful vaccine injury claim is not easy. It requires time, patience and a thorough understanding of the federal laws that apply. It also requires you to act promptly, and you need to know what to expect – and how to respond – at each stage of the process. In this article, vaccine injury lawyer Leah V. Durant provides an overview of what you need to know before you file a claim under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Continue reading
What are the Symptoms of Flu Shot Injuries?
It’s flu season; and, while the COVID-19 vaccine has taken center stage, it is important not to forget that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that most people get a flu shot each year. When getting immunized against influenza, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of flu shot injuries, as vaccine injury lawyer Leah V. Durant explains below: Continue reading
Where Can You Go to Get Your Annual Flu Shot?
Getting an annual flu shot is one of the best ways you can help protect yourself, your family, your coworkers and your neighbors against influenza. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that most people get a flu shot each year, and it encourages people to get their flu shots as early in the flu season as possible. Continue reading
Common Misconceptions about Vaccine Illnesses and Injuries
For individuals who have been diagnosed with vaccine-related illnesses and injuries, finding reliable information can be a challenge. Can a vaccine really make you sick? If so, what are the potential long-term complications? Are you entitled to financial compensation? If so, how do you collect the compensation you deserve? Here, vaccine lawyer Leah V. Durant explains what you need to know: Continue reading
Is It True that I Shouldn’t Get a Flu Shot if I have an Egg Allergy?
In prior years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have advised that individuals who have egg allergies should consult with their physicians prior to getting the flu shot. This is because certain formulations of the flu shot are manufactured with egg proteins, and exposure to these proteins has the potential to cause a hypersensitivity reaction among individuals with egg allergies.
In 2018, however, the CDC altered its recommendations regarding the flu shot and individuals who have minor egg allergies. Now, according to the CDC: Continue reading