National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

When you have questions about getting vaccinated, it is important that you get your questions answered. Typically, this means consulting with your healthcare provider—and it is important to rely on medical advice that is custom-tailored to your (or your child’s) unique health profile and medical history. But, if you are looking for free information online, a good resource is the CDC’s “Ask the Experts” database.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider the annual flu shot to be safe for most people, and the CDC recommends that the vast majority of Americans get a flu shot each year. According to the

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with a vaccine-related illness or injury, it will be important to learn about your legal rights under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP pays financial compensation to eligible vaccine recipients and their family members—and it covers most (but not all) CDC-recommended vaccines.

Attorney Leah Durant represents dozens of clients in VICP claims annually. She also publishes numerous articles on topics related to vaccine injuries and VICP claims each year. Here is a look back at some of the key insights she shared in 2023:

Understanding the Causes of Vaccine-Related Injuries and Illnesses

The causes of

When you file a vaccine injury claim under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), your claim has three potential outcomes: (i) the Vaccine Court can award you compensation, (ii) the Vaccine Court can deny your claim, or (iii) you can enter into a settlement with the government.

Settling a VICP Claim is the Best Option in Many Cases

For many claimants, entering into a settlement is the best option. There are a couple of reasons why. First, settling your VICP claim provides certainty. Regardless of how strong your claim may be, there is no guarantee that the Vaccine Court will rule in your favor.

Vaccines including the annual flu shot, hepatitis B vaccine, HPV vaccine and meningococcal vaccine are known to cause Bell’s palsy in a small percentage of cases. While rare, Bell’s palsy caused by a vaccine can potentially have serious and long-term health consequences. When this happens, vaccine recipients and families affected by Bell’s palsy can seek compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

Eligibility Requirements to File a VICP Claim for Bell’s Palsy

To obtain compensation for

For most people, mild pain is a short-term consequence of getting a flu shot. But, in some cases, pain after a flu shot doesn’t go away. While injuries and illnesses caused by flu shots are relatively rare, they do happen, and in some cases, they affect flu shot recipients for the rest of their lives.

We regularly represent individuals who have been diagnosed with flu shot-related injuries and illnesses. This includes illnesses and injuries caused by the flu shot itself (i.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disorder that has been linked to the annual flu shot. While GBS diagnoses resulting from flu immunizations are rare, the link is now well-established in medicine and in the law. With this in mind, here are 10 important facts about GBS and the flu vaccine:

Fact #1: The Annual Flu Shot is a Recognized Trigger for Guillain-Barre Syndrome

While the precise cause of Guillain-Barre Syndrome remains unknown, the flu shot is a recognized trigger for GBS.

How common are vaccine-related injuries and illnesses? While there are several ways to answer this question, perhaps the most straightforward answer is that these injuries and illnesses are extremely rare in comparison to the number of vaccines administered in the United States each year. In this article, vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant discusses some key statistics and highlights the most-common vaccine-related injuries and illnesses based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) serves as a source of financial recovery for individuals and families impacted by vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. But, not all vaccines are covered under the program. In this article, vaccine injury attorney Leah V. Durant explains which immunizations are “covered vaccines” under the VICP.

“Covered Vaccines” Listed on the VICP’s Vaccine Injury Table

“Covered vaccines” under the VICP are listed on the program’s Vaccine Injury Table.

The flu shot is the most widely administered vaccine in the United States. Approximately half of the U.S. population gets immunized against the flu each year. While the vast majority of flu shot recipients experience no ill effects or only mild side effects, a small percentage of recipients are diagnosed with immunization-related injuries and illnesses.

If you have concerns about a vaccine-related injury or illness, friends or family members may have recommended that you speak with a vaccine lawyer. If this is the case, you might be wondering, “What does a vaccine lawyer do?”

Vaccine Lawyers Help Individuals and Families Coping with the Effects of Vaccine-Related Injuries and Illnesses

Broadly speaking, vaccine lawyers help individuals and families who are coping with the effects of vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. While the primary way vaccine lawyers help is by pursuing claims for financial compensation (more on this below), they can help in other ways as well.

For example, a vaccine lawyer can provide resources for understanding your situation, explain the costs associated with vaccine-related injuries and illnesses, and help you make informed decisions about asserting your (or your family’s) legal rights. An experienced vaccine lawyer will have represented hundreds of individuals and families facing circumstances similar to yours and will be able to use the insights gained from this experience to help guide you forward.