Vaccine Injury

It is a great relief to parents when a child is born healthy.  Usually, it is required that the child receive certain vaccines in order to keep them healthy.  Infrequently, these vaccines can have adverse effects.

A majority of United States parents are required to vaccinate their children.  It is possible to bring a healthy child for a vaccine and then have the child fall ill as a result of the inoculation.  Luckily, most vaccine side effects are mild. But, it is important to remember that sometimes, vaccines can have serious side effects as well.  One Florida family is feeling the impact of these rare side effects.

The HPV vaccine protects against the Human Papillomavirus which can cause genital warts and certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer in women, genital cancers and throat and mouth cancers in women and men.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that male and female preteens, ages 11 and 12, receive the vaccine. While the benefits of the vaccine are great, there are also negative side effects to be considered.  Some of the common side effects include pain, fever, dizziness, fainting and severe allergic reaction.  The question is, can the vaccine also cause premature ovarian failure as well?  According to two Mount Horeb, Wisconsin sisters, this is exactly what happened to them.

When we worry about the possible side effects of vaccines, we usually think of the dangers to children or to those in other vulnerable groups.  While it is rare, anyone can have an adverse reaction to a vaccine, as shown by a recent United States Court of Federal Claims case.

It is that time of the year again, back to school, and before sending your children off for the first day of a new grade, you have no choice but to think about having them vaccinated.  You might want to vaccinate your children to protect them from preventable diseases and/or your state may require that your children receive certain inoculations before allowing them to register for school.  Either way, although complications from vaccinations are rare, it is important to educate yourself about the side effects of vaccines, some of which may be serious, before bringing your child to the doctor for their shots.  Listed below are four common vaccines given to children from the time they are newborns to age 18, and the side effects that can result.

Children are injured in many different ways.  When a child is injured by something that is supposed to protect them, it is particularly disturbing.  Unfortunately, although a rare occurrence, these are the circumstances in vaccine injury cases that involve children.  A good example is the case of an 11 year old Arkansas girl that suffered serious side effects as a result of the HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and Tdap (meningococcal, hepatitis A, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccinations. 

In the United States, vaccines are a part of everyday life.  Vaccines are encouraged and even required in our culture and it can therefore be difficult to consider the adverse effects they may have.  But, these situations do arise.  In two rare cases, parents suspect that their Wisconsin girls suffered and even died due to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.  

You might be considering getting the flu vaccine or vaccinating other family members in order to protect against the common illness this year.  The flu shot can be even more appealing if you are a member of a vulnerable population due to your age or health. The vaccine is widely available at hospitals, physician’s offices and even pharmacies in the United States.  Before you make an appointment, you should think seriously about the risks involved in being vaccinated.

SIRVA is a newly identified vaccine injury that is surfacing in vaccinated patients around the country. The damage from SIRVA centers on the shoulder or upper arm where the vaccine was administered. SIRVA is caused by the injection or administration of the vaccine itself, not from the contents of the vaccine being administered. SIRVA is an injury that occurs to the musculoskeletal structures of the shoulder such as the tendons, ligaments or bursa, due to a vaccine’s improper administration.

Individuals have been known to experience adverse reactions from their annual flu vaccines. One of the most common of these reactions is Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or GBS, but other types of adverse reactions can occur. GBS is a severe paralytic illness. Because it is administered annually, the flu shot is one of the most common vaccinations received in the United States. Although most people have only minor reactions, many people can be affected each year. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, specializes in cases involving adverse reactions to flu vaccinations. Vaccine attorney Leah Durant understands how the flu shot can cause Gullain-Barre Syndrome and represents GBS clients in their cases before the Court of Federal Claims, all at no charge to the client. While GBS may be transient, it can be devastating to those who suffer from it. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC, also represents those who suffer from the more chronic type of GBS, often referred to as Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, or CIDP. Those who suffer from CIDP face years of neurological symptoms with little relief. Vaccine Attorney Leah Durant focuses on GBS and CIDP cases and her legal fees and costs are paid by the court, not the client.

Shoulder pain, soreness or tenderness are all common side effects that may be experienced following a vaccine injection. In some cases, however, improper administration of intramuscular vaccines, particularly above the deltoid muscle can result in a more severe vaccine injury, commonly known as SIRVA or Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration.