Vaccination Injury in Austin, TX
Austin residents are “bootstrap” kind of people. They enjoy making their own way, and don’t particularly like when someone tells them what to do. Still, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Austin residents banded together and got vaccinated at high rates.
However, there are rare occurrences during vaccination when an injury can result as a result of the vaccine administered. While rare, if this has happened to you, you may want to engage the services of an experienced attorney in Austin.
What Is a Vaccination Injury?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports vaccines contain a weakened or dead version of a disease. After injection, the body develops antibodies to specific illnesses. Effectively, this makes the recipient immune from the disease.
Most people who receive vaccines have a successful immunity boost for many illnesses. While vaccines may contain the disease, some recipients develop health problems. A qualified Austin, Texas vaccination injury lawyer can help determine if you have a claim.
It can be onerous to determine how many individuals suffer harm from vaccines annually in Austin. Furthermore, linking a vaccine injury to ongoing medical issues can be challenging. Nonetheless, the federal government offers a Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to citizens.
What Are Some Common Types of Vaccination Injuries?
It is perfectly normal to experience some minor soreness around the vaccine injection site. However, vaccines should not cause significant harm. If you or a loved one has experienced pain, loss of body functions or even death, you should talk to an experienced Austin vaccination injury lawyer.
Seizures
The CDC states that there is a small increase of risk for seizures when administering certain types of vaccines, specifically MMR and MMRV vaccines. While 5% of children will experience a febrile seizure between the ages of 1 and 5, this risk increases slightly with the administration of the vaccine. It generally occurs within 5 to 12 days of receiving the first dose.
Neuritis
Neuritis is an inflammatory response in which the nerve endings are attacked. This can be caused by injection, injury, or autoimmune response. As vaccines have sometimes been known to trigger autoimmune responses, neuritis has become a common side effect.
Vaccination-Related Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries may occur due to how Austin, TX health professionals administer the vaccine. Alternatively, the contents of the vaccine can cause harm.
Symptoms may range from ongoing pain at the injection site to a complete loss of muscle movement in the arm. While often temporary, vaccination-related shoulder injuries may be permanent.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Research has linked Guillain-Barre syndrome to different types of vaccines, one of which is the annual flu shot. The condition happens when the immune system attacks itself, causing damage to nerve cells.
While the symptoms vary, they often include paralysis and muscular weakness. These issues typically resolve within a few weeks. But, Guillain-Barre syndrome may cause permanent nerve damage. This injury may result in loss of motion, paralysis, and other ongoing complications.
Anaphylaxis
Austin healthcare professionals should check for known patient allergies. If a vaccine recipient happens to be allergic to the ingredients in the vaccine, the injection may cause a reaction. Symptoms may include hives, fevers, fainting, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is potentially life-threatening. Regrettably, an individual may not realize they have an allergy until after receiving the vaccination.
Encephalitis
Encephalitis sometimes happens when there is an infection in the body. It can also be part of the body’s response to an infection. This condition results in swelling of brain tissue.
Some common symptoms of encephalitis are pain, fever, headaches, fatigue, and weakness. While these problems may resolve in a few weeks, doctors must track this potentially life-threatening condition.
Myelitis
While encephalitis is swelling of the brain, myelitis involves spinal cord inflammation. Nonetheless, doctors and scientists do not completely understand the causes of myelitis.
Still, some patients have developed spinal cord inflammation after vaccine injection. Swelling around the spinal cord may cause a variety of complications. Symptoms may include paralysis, pain and loss of muscular control.
What Are Some of the Vaccines, Conditions, and Injuries Covered by Law?
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus generally spread through contact with an infected person, or ingesting food or drink contaminated with the virus. It attacks the liver and can cause nausea, fatigue, and jaundice. It is vaccine preventable, but the vaccine causes shoulder pain, and vasovagal syncope in certain individuals.
CDC Recommendations
The U.S. Government will cover injuries that are incurred as a result of vaccines for any new disease that the CDC recommends vaccination against. The most recent example of this is the Covid-19 pandemic. As it is recommended for all individuals to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, any injuries that result from vaccination are covered by law.
What Is the Legal Process for a Vaccination Injury?
Even if the symptoms you experienced after your vaccine are not in the above list, you may still have a vaccination injury.
If you have sustained an injury from a vaccination in Austin, Texas, you should seek immediate medical attention. You should also seek a legal opinion as quickly as possible. A vaccine-related injury can result in extreme consequences that interfere with your life. Accordingly, you may be able to pursue financial compensation.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Hiring a qualified Austin legal professional can help determine if you qualify for compensation.
A lawyer can also explain your other legal options. For example, you could file a lawsuit against the vaccine manufacturer. In other cases, you may sue the healthcare professional who administered the vaccine.
The claims process is very complex. If you do not properly assert your claim, you may receive a denial and jeopardize your odds of receiving compensation.
Texas has 4 U.S. District Courts in the state. If you choose to reach out to an experienced Austin attorney to help with your claim, he or she will most likely file your claim with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer In Austin, Texas
The purpose of a vaccine is to improve your quality of life by keeping you healthy. Unfortunately, if you suffer an injury after a vaccination, your life may never be the same again.
While you may be able to receive financial compensation for your vaccine injury, the process is not easy. Therefore, hiring an experienced Austin, TX vaccine injury attorney is essential. It will greatly impact the quality of assistance and settlement you may receive.
If you are looking to hire a vaccination injury lawyer, we are here for you. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Texas state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!