Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program

Injuries caused by most CDC-recommended vaccines are covered under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP covers eligible claimants’ out-of-pocket expenses, loss of income, and pain and suffering—and it has paid over $4.6 billion to more than 10,000 eligible claimants over the past 35 years. It also covers the cost of hiring a vaccine attorney, which means that claimants can obtain no-cost legal representation for their VICP claims.

However, at present, the VICP does not cover injuries caused by the COVID-19 vaccine.

The federal government has established two separate programs that provide financial compensation to individuals and families who are coping with the effects of vaccine injuries. However, while these programs serve a similar purpose, they are different in almost every respect. If you think you may have a claim, understanding these differences is important—and this starts with understanding which specific vaccines each program covers. Vaccine injury lawyer Leah V. Durant explains:

What Vaccine Recipients and Families Need to Know About the VICP and CICP

The federal government’s two vaccine injury compensation programs are the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).

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.