5 Questions People Ask About Vaccine Injury Claims

Vaccines save lives and prevent dangerous diseases, but children and adults can suffer severe and permanent vaccine adverse reactions in very rare cases. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about obtaining compensation for vaccine injuries.

How do I receive compensation for an adverse vaccine reaction?

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a federal program set up to compensate people injured by certain vaccines. A claim can be filed by a qualified vaccine injury lawyer on behalf of the person injured by one of the vaccines covered by the VICP. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims decides who will be compensated.

To be eligible to file a claim, the effects of the vaccine reaction must have lasted for more than six months after vaccination, resulted in a hospital stay and surgery, or resulted in death.

Why is it important to be represented by a lawyer?

Most people use a lawyer to file a vaccine injury claim, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration. An experienced lawyer knows how to navigate the complex claim process. The vaccine lawyers at Anapol Schwartz are admitted to the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C., where filing a petition with all the necessary information can be a daunting task.  It’s vital to have proper legal representation to ensure all the necessary documentation is submitted for review by the court in a timely manner.

The VICP – not the victim – pays all lawyer fees and other related legal costs if certain minimal requirements are met.

Does my lawyer have to work in my state?

No. It’s more important to contact a lawyer with years of experience and success with vaccine reaction claims.  Vaccine injury lawyers can work on behalf of people from all over the country.

What are the deadlines to file a vaccine injury or death claim?

The general filing deadline for an injury is three years after the first vaccine injury symptom. For vaccine death cases, a claim must be filed within two years of the death and four years after the start of the first symptom of the vaccine-related injury from which the death occurred.

When a vaccine is newly covered by the VICP or a new vaccine reaction is added to the vaccine injury table, claims that do not meet general filing deadlines must be filed within two years from the date the new item is added to the table for injuries or deaths that occurred up to eight years before the change.

What is the next step if I suspect a vaccine caused me or my child to suffer an adverse reaction?

If you or a loved one suffered a severe vaccine reaction after administration of a Vaccine. Contact a vaccine injury lawyer. Most injury attorneys offer a free legal evaluation to review the details of your situation and to advise if you or your loved ones injuries sustained a vaccine reaction qualify for a legal claim.