Vaccination Injury in Delaware
Vaccines have all but eradicated childhood illnesses that at one time were the scourge of humanity. Polio, mumps, and rubella have all been under control for generations due to the vaccines developed to fight them. However, there are certain instances where a vaccine can cause an injury to the person receiving it. If this has been the case for you, you may be eligible for compensation. An experienced Delaware attorney can help you navigate your claim.
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. An experienced Delaware 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 Delaware. 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 in Delaware?
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 may want to speak with Delaware vaccination injury lawyers.
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.
Fatigue
Fatigue, or chronic fatigue, can often be an adverse side effect of vaccination. While this is nothing to worry about on its own, it can be symptomatic of a much larger problem. The Center for Disease Control reports that among many others, fatigue is listed as an adverse reaction to receiving the covid-19 vaccine.
Vaccination-Related Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries may occur due to how any Delaware health professional administers 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
Delaware 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?
The Vaccine Injury Table gives a comprehensive look at the different injuries that can be associated with certain vaccines. It also lists a timeframe to measure these injuries. If symptoms fall within the timeframe, it is assumed that the vaccine caused the injury.
Influenza
Many people line up year after year to get a flu shot at their local pharmacies. However, even with such a routine vaccination, problems can occur. While these side effects are rare, individuals getting a flu vaccine could experience:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Hypertension
- Shoulder Soreness
- Anaphylaxis
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Human Papillomavirus
Human Papillomavirus has been linked to several different diseases, and even types of cancer. A vaccination against the virus is recommended at the age of 11 or 12, but can be started as young as 9. Still, an unfortunate side effect of the vaccine could be anaphylaxis, shoulder soreness and fatigue, or vasovagal syncope.
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 Delaware, 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 an experienced Delaware 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.
If you have experienced an injury due to a vaccination, it may be in your best interest to meet with an experienced attorney in Delaware. He or she will most likely file your case with the U.S. District Court of Delaware.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in Delaware
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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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!
