Injury from Covid-19 Vaccine
Recent studies have shown that the vaccine for the Covid 19 coronavirus may result in Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS is a nerve disorder that can lead to permanent neurologic deficits, as well as acute life-threatening damage to end organs, including the heart and brain. Often, GBS is a transient condition that results in mild or no permanent effects.
As a vaccine injury lawyer, we have reviewed the federal statutes to determine whether compensation is available to individuals injured as a result of receiving a vaccine. The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was created to protect vaccine manufacturers from liability while providing compensation to vaccine takers in a no-fault system. The sentiment behind the program was to encourage vaccine manufacturers by protecting them from expensive defective drug litigation. In addition, hypothetically, consumers are encouraged to undergo the vaccine by providing coverage for any medical expenses and other losses associated with a vaccine-related injury. However, most consumers are not aware of the VICP, so it does not create much of an incentive to become vaccinated. Indeed, most individuals only find out about the VICP through a knowledgeable physician who treats them for a vaccine-related injury or by Googling the cause of symptoms that occur around the time of a vaccine.
Currently, vaccine-related injuries are covered by the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP). The CICP differs from the VICP in that compensation is determined by the Government and limited in scope. Recently, reports have circulated that the US government is going to add Covid vaccine–related injuries to the VICP.
In addition to GBS, vaccines have been implicated in other injuries, including shoulder injury related to vaccine (SIRVA), GBS, anaphylaxis, and transverse myelitis. In addition, a vaccine can result in a vasovagal response which results in a fall leading to potential traumatic brain injury and other orthopedic fractures. These are generally believed to be rare events, though when they occur, they can have devastating and even fatal consequences for vaccine recipients.
Recently, the government removed SIRVA and vasovagal-related falls from the list of vaccine-related injuries for which the VICP will provide compensation. However, the Biden administration has announced plans to reverse that decision, thereby returning the specific injuries to the vaccine injury program.
According to the New York Times, “[federal] officials have identified 100 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre among recipients of Johnson & Johnson’s one dose shot through a federal monitoring system that relies on patients and health care providers to report adverse effects of vaccines.” According to reports, 95% of those cases were considered “serious and required hospitalization.” Since this monitoring program relies on self-reporting, numbers are probably significantly higher.
If you or a loved one has suffered Group Guillain-Barre Syndrome in close proximity to receiving a Covid vaccine, or other vaccine, you should contact an experienced lawyer who deals with vaccine injuries for more details on your rights.