Vaccination Injury in Santa Fe, NM

Do you know if your vaccination injury meets the severity requirements?

There are more complications during vaccine injury lawsuits than you may expect. For starters, many patients from Santa Fe will need to petition the HRSA first. Moreover, you will have to participate in a mediation process that may urge you to settle.

When there are critical needs to meet, you don’t want to make an uneducated or ill-advised decision. Start assessing your needs with a critical eye by reading this guide.

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 Santa Fe, New Mexico 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 Santa Fe. 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 Santa Fe vaccination injury lawyer.

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)

Studies find that ADEM tends to follow a vaccination or an infection that causes a fever. Generally, this condition affects more children than adults in Santa Fe. Most will recover without long-lasting effects after taking immunosuppressive agents and anti-inflammatories.

Vasovagal Syncope (Fainting)

Fainting tends to happen due to factors beyond the contents of a vaccine. Biological, psychological, and social factors lead to vasovagal syncope. In other terms, the stress of the event can cause someone from Santa Fe to lose consciousness temporarily.

Vaccination-Related Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries may occur due to how Santa Fe, NM 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

Santa Fe 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?

Victims of vaccination injuries can turn to the HRSA to assess their eligibility. Since flu vaccines are common, the following paragraphs focus on what federal law covers currently.

Anaphylaxis from Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Vaccine 

An allergic reaction to a flu vaccine administered in Santa Fe can happen in minutes. However, there are studies that documented delayed reactions can take up to four hours. Accordingly, the Vaccine Injury Table uses the same timeline to verify eligibility for petitions they receive.

Shoulder Injury from Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Vaccine

Publications like Physician’s Weekly have found some shoulder injuries are more likely after flu vaccinations. For example, while still rare, there is a greater risk that subdeltoid bursitis can happen. The Vaccine Injury Table gives patients in Santa Fe up to 48 hours for symptoms to appear to justify a petition.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome from Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Vaccine

A 2022 study found that getting a flu vaccine does not increase the likelihood of GBS. Regardless, cases of this uncomfortable condition after administration do happen. The Vaccine Injury Table says patients that experience it 3 – 42 days later in Santa Fe can pursue compensation.

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 Santa Fe, New Mexico, 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 Santa Fe 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.

The court that oversees these decisions depends on what direction your attorney in Santa Fe recommends. Out of necessity, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims could be in charge. Other routes for litigation will go through the U.S. District Court of the District of New Mexico.

Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer In Santa Fe, New Mexico

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 Santa Fe, NM 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 New Mexico 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!