Vaccination Injury in South Carolina

Have you heard of the National Childhood Vaccination Act of 1986?

This legislation made significant changes to how civil actions for vaccination injuries work. For starters, it created a national trust fund for petitions from people that suffered. Among other critical details, it can set individuals from South Carolina on a strict path toward compensable rewards.

You need to understand a few details to ensure the compensation you have coming. Otherwise, you could accept far less than you could have received. Discover these crucial details in this guide today, and we can also set you up with legal counsel.

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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina. 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 South Carolina?

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 South Carolina vaccination injury lawyers.

Intussusception

Intussusception happens when the intestines pull into themselves and slide into each other. The blockage this creates requires immediate attention from doctors in South Carolina.

According to the CDC, intussusception is a risk after infants receive a rotavirus vaccine. Currently, estimates range from 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000 vaccinations cause this injury to happen.

Bell’s Palsy

It is not unusual for Bell’s palsy to become confused as a stroke due to its primary symptom. When a patient in South Carolina contracts it, there is sudden paralysis on one side of the face. Thankfully, this effect tends to pass within a few days or weeks. Regardless of this fact, some studies suggest it can happen after a COVID-19 vaccination.

Vaccination-Related Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries may occur due to how any South Carolina 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

South Carolina 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 HRSA provides a Vaccine Injury Table that patients in South Carolina will want to consult. This documentation can tell you if you have a valid petition to file. Accordingly, we will give three situations to illustrate how this process may work.

Meningococcal Vaccine

Receiving this vaccination can prevent you from contracting meningitis. It is critical enough to everyone’s health that it is a requirement to attend the University of South Carolina.

Accordingly, you may file a petition with the HRSA if you suffer an injury from the meningococcal vaccine. The three conditions covered currently are shoulder injuries, vasovagal syncope, or anaphylaxis.

DTaP Vaccine

The DTaP vaccine prevents children from catching diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Each of these diseases can pose a significant risk to children and teachers in South Carolina. The illnesses, conditions, or injuries covered by the federal compensation program include:

  • Brachial neuritis
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Vasovagal syncope
  • Shoulder Injury

Hepatitis A Vaccine

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reports a sharp increase in cases of Hepatitis A. 2,239 individuals developed the disease from Fall 2018 to Spring 2022. Consequently, this rise in occurrences surprised many due to the ease and availability of vaccination. In fact, there are only two mild injuries listed as compensable in the current Vaccine Injury Table.

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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina 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.

Filing a lawsuit will likely involve a federal case with the U.S. District Court of the District of South Carolina.

Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in South Carolina

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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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!

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