For individuals and families who are coping with the effects of vaccine-related injuries and illnesses, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) provides a source of financial recovery. Claimants can hire a vaccine attorney at no cost, so there is no reason not to seek experienced legal representation for a vaccine injury claim.
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The VICP Covers Claimants’ Legal Fees and Costs
As the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) explains in What You Need to Know about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), “For an injury [or death], you may be paid . . . reasonable lawyers’ fees and other legal costs . . . if your claim was filed on a reasonable basis and in good faith.” This means that:
- The VICP Covers Lawyers’ Fees – When you hire a lawyer to handle your vaccine injury claim, you are entitled to have your lawyer’s fees paid by the VICP as long as your claim has a reasonable basis and is filed in good faith (more on this below). This means that you are entitled to a free initial consultation, and should not have to pay anything out of pocket for your legal representation.
- The VICP Covers Legal Costs – The VICP also covers legal costs. This includes costs such as hiring a medical expert to serve as a witness, printing and shipping costs, and any other costs you incur while pursuing your claim. At the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates, we cover these costs while our clients’ claims are pending. That way, our clients do not face any financial barriers to asserting their rights under the VICP.
- The VICP Pays Legal Fees and Costs in Addition to Damages – The VICP pays claimants’ legal fees and costs in addition to their damages. This means that your legal fees and costs are not deducted from your award. As a result, if you file a successful VICP claim with the help of a vaccine attorney, you will take home 100 percent of the amount your attorney helps you recover.
What is Required to Show “A Reasonable Basis” and “Good Faith”?
In order to have your legal fees and costs covered under the VICP, you must file your claim “on a reasonable basis and in good faith.” Essentially, this means that you (and your attorney) must legitimately believe that you have a claim for vaccine injury compensation. With well over a decade of experience handling vaccine injury claims, we are intimately familiar with the requirements for securing compensation under the VICP, and we only file claims when we are confident that our clients are eligible for compensation under the program.
Request a Free Consultation with National Vaccine Attorney Leah V. Durant
Do you have a vaccine injury claim under the VICP? To find out, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with national vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant. Call 202-775-9200 or tell us how you would like to be contacted online today.