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
Tag Archives: Guillain Barre Syndrome
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
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
NIAID Director: 2019-2020 Flu Shot “Not a Very Good Match” for Most-Common Strain
As the 2019-2020 flu season rolls on, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has issued a warning that this year’s flu vaccine has shown limited effectiveness in fighting one of the most-common strains of the flu virus. According to CNN, NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci stated that this year’s flu shot, “[is] not a very good match for B/Victoria,” which has become one of the most-prevalent strains this flu season. CNN also reports that, “[c]hildren are particularly susceptible to influenza B/Victoria.” Continue reading
You Have Been Diagnosed with a Vaccine-Related Injury or Illness. What Now?
If you have been diagnosed with Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA), Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), or another vaccine-related injury or illness, understanding the steps to take following your diagnosis will be critical to your health and your financial stability. The treatment options for certain types of vaccine-related injuries and illnesses are limited; and, in order to recover as quickly and fully as possible, you need to make sure you receive appropriate treatment and avoid mistakes that could have negative long-term consequences.
7 Steps to Take Following a Vaccine-Related Injury or Illness Diagnosis
Here are seven steps you can take to protect your health and your legal rights if you have been diagnosed with a vaccine-related injury or illness: Continue reading
10 Key Facts about Vaccine Injury Claims
If you have been diagnosed with a vaccine-related injury, including a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA), you may be entitled to recover your medical expenses and certain other losses under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Here are 10 key facts about filing a claim under the VICP:
1. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a Federal Initiative Designed to Protect Individuals Diagnosed with Vaccine Injuries.
The VICP is a federal government program that Congress established in 1988 for the sole purpose of making it easier for individuals diagnosed with vaccine injuries to recover financial compensation. Under the VICP, individuals diagnosed with vaccine injuries can collect money from the government instead of filing a lawsuit against the vaccine manufacturer in court. Continue reading
Understanding the Contraindications and Precautions for CDC-Recommended Vaccinations
While receiving vaccinations is a safe and effective means for combatting disease, there are certain diseases and medical conditions that can increase an individual’s risk of an adverse reaction or other negative side effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refer to these as “contraindications” and “precautions,” and it advises that:
“Contraindications (conditions in a recipient that increases the risk for a serious adverse reaction) and precautions to vaccination are conditions under which vaccines should not be administered. Because the majority of contraindications and precautions are temporary, vaccinations often can be administered later when the condition leading to a contraindication or precaution no longer exists. A vaccine should not be administered when a contraindication is present. . . . However, certain conditions are commonly misperceived as contraindications (i.e., are not valid reasons to defer vaccination).”
What Vaccine Recipients Need to Know about AIDP and CIDP
The risk of being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is among the most serious risks associated with flu and tetanus vaccinations. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are variants of GBS that can have serious – and potentially fatal – consequences. Individuals who receive flu shots and tetanus booster shots should be aware of the symptoms of AIDP and CIDP, and parents should be prepared to seek medical attention at the first sign of either of these vaccine-related illnesses. Continue reading
When is Pain More than Just a Side Effect of a Vaccination?
“Any vaccine can cause side effects.” While all vaccines recommended for use in the U.S. are considered safe for the vast majority of the population (with exceptions for individuals with certain medical conditions), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants vaccine recipients to be aware that certain side effects are possible.
However, the CDC also warns that, “[a]s with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death.” Over the past five years, an average of roughly 1,000 people have filed petitions under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). So, while pain may simply be a side effect of a vaccination, it could also be a sign of a potentially-serious injury, and vaccine recipients should have an understanding of when they may need medical attention and when they may be entitled to compensation under the VICP. Continue reading
What Should You Ask and Tell your Doctor Before You Get Vaccinated?
While vaccinations are routine procedures that carry strong recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they still carry certain risks. Flu shots, tetanus shots, and other CDC-recommended vaccinations are known to cause a variety of injuries and illnesses, and errors during the vaccine administration process can lead to various types of painful and debilitating shoulder injuries. Continue reading