National Vaccine 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.

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.