Vaccination Injury in Montana
Are you concerned about your legal options following a vaccination injury in Montana?
Researching the applicable laws and regulations can leave you feeling more confused than when you started. Therefore, we offer this quick guide to vaccination injury law below in response to this possibility. Read the information below carefully to avoid losing your chance to file for the compensation you deserve.
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 Montana 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 Montana. 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 Montana?
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 Montana vaccination injury lawyers.
Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
CRPS is a rare but well-known possibility after you receive a vaccine. Regardless, studies also suggest there is no single cause for it. As a result, patients in Montana will need a lawyer who can demonstrate the connection between their injury and vaccination. The symptoms that can indicate you currently suffer from chronic regional pain syndrome are:
- Stiffness and swelling in joints
- Burning pain
- Rapid or stunted hair growth
- Limited motor function of the affected body part
Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
TTP has the potential to be a fatal consequence of a vaccination injury. When it occurs, blood clots can block the functions of your vital organs. A few of the signs that someone in Montana has this condition are:
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Petechiae, or flat red spots that appear under the skin
- Purpura, or discoloration from bleeding
Vaccination-Related Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries may occur due to how any Montana 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
Montana 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?
Taking a look at the federal government’s Vaccine Injury Table can help answer this critical question. But, even going through their documentation can leave you confused. As an answer to this dynamic, we provide a few examples of some vaccines and their covered conditions below.
Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
Getting a flu shot is a biannual event for many people who live in Montana. Generally, it is a safe and effective way to protect yourself from a potentially serious disease.
There are two circumstances federal law recognizes as compensable injuries after a flu vaccine. Shoulder injuries and vasovagal syncope qualify you to file a petition with the HRSA.
IPV Vaccine
The IPV vaccine involves administration by injecting an inactive form of the polio virus. Global organizations dedicated to stopping the virus praise it for its well-established safety.
For instance, Lincoln County says children should receive their last dose after their fourth birthday. In rare circumstances, injuries can occur that are on the current Vaccine Injury Table.
HAV Vaccines
HAV vaccines protect against contracting the Hepatitis A virus. This disease causes inflammation in the liver and can cause life-threatening complications. The development of these conditions in the specified timelines has these detailed protections:
- Vasovagal syncope, or fainting, within one hour of receiving the vaccine
- Shoulder injuries that start showing symptoms up to 48 hours from the injection
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 Montana, 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 Montana 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. Generally, you can expect to handle all concerns over adjudication with the U.S. District Court of the District of Montana.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in Montana
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 Montana 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 Montana 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!
