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:
What is a Flu Shot Injury?
While the CDC advises that the annual flu shot is safe for most people, getting immunized still carries certain risks. These risks come from: (i) potential adverse reactions to one or more ingredients in the flu vaccine; and, (ii) the possibility of a mistake being made during flu shot administration.
An allergic reaction is one potential risk – particularly for individuals with egg allergies – but it is not the only risk of which flu shot recipients and parents should be aware. Additional injury risks that are associated with the annual flu shot include:
- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
- Parsonage-Turner Syndrome (brachial neuritis)
- Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA)
What are the Symptoms of Flu Shot Injuries?
These are all very different conditions, and they all have their own unique symptomologies. For example, while a severe allergic reaction is characterized by swelling, hives and a drop in blood pressure (potentially leading to shock), SIRVA from flu shots are most-commonly characterized by worsening shoulder pain accompanied by limited shoulder mobility and other physical symptoms. Keeping this in mind, here is a general list of symptoms that may be associated with a flu shot injury:
- Difficulty controlling facial movements
- Difficulty maintaining balance
- Drop in blood pressure
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Hives
- Limited shoulder mobility
- Muscle weakness
- Shoulder pain
- Swelling
- Tingling or “prickling” sensation in the fingers or toes
What Should Someone Do if They Experience Symptoms of a Flu Shot Injury?
For individuals who experience these or other symptoms of a flu shot injury, the most important thing to do is to seek medical attention. While this is advisable in all cases; and, for some types of flu shot injuries, timely medical intervention can reduce the recovery period and mitigate the risk of chronic or long-term effects.
In addition to seeking medical attention, it is also important to seek legal advice. The costs of medical treatment for flu shot injuries can be significant, and the effects of these injuries can impact your life in other ways as well. Under the federal government’s National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), individuals who are diagnosed with flu shot injuries can secure payment for their medical expenses, loss of earnings, and pain and suffering, and legal representation is available at no out-of-pocket cost.
Contact Vaccine Injury Lawyer Leah V. Durant for Free
If you would like more information about filing a flu shot injury claim under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, we encourage you to get in touch. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with vaccine injury lawyer Leah V. Durant, please call 202-800-1711 or contact us online today.
Leah Durant Bio
Experienced litigation attorney Leah Durant focuses on representing clients in complex vaccine litigation matters. Leah Durant is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, a litigation firm based in Washington, DC. Leah Durant and her staff represent clients and their families who suffer from vaccine-related injuries, adverse vaccine reactions and vaccine-related deaths. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is dedicated to assisting individuals in recovering the highest level of compensation as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more, contact vaccine attorney Leah Durant today.