While vaccine-related injuries and illnesses are rare, they do happen. For families who are struggling to cope with the effects of a childhood vaccine injury or illness, financial compensation is available through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP provides compensation for the financial and non-financial costs of vaccine injuries and illnesses, and it is possible to hire a vaccine injury lawyer at no cost.
Filing a Claim for a Child Vaccine Injury
Parents and legal guardians can file VICP claims on behalf of children who have been diagnosed with vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. The VICP covers all of the vaccines the U.S .Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends for routine administration to children, including:
- Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP, Tdap)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Hepatitis A (HepA) Hepatitis B (HepB)
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Influenza (flu)
- Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
- Meningitis
- Pneumonia
- Polio
- Rotavirus
- Varicella (chickenpox)
Parents and legal guardians can file VICP claims for all types of injuries and illnesses resulting from these (and certain other) vaccinations—including conditions such as:
- Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
- Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction)
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (SIRVA)
In order to qualify for financial compensation under the VICP, a vaccine-related injury or illness must either (i) last for more than six months following the date of vaccination, or (ii) require surgery and inpatient hospitalization. If a child’s medical condition does not last more than six months and does not require surgery, then it is not eligible for compensation under the program.
Preparing to File a Child Vaccine Injury Claim
Filing a VICP claim is a complicated process; and, as we mentioned above, parents and legal guardians can hire a vaccine injury lawyer at no cost. As a result, it is strongly in parents’ and legal guardians’ best interests to hire an experienced lawyer to represent them.
When you hire a vaccine injury lawyer, your lawyer will assist you with gathering all of the documentation you need to prove your family’s right to compensation under the VICP. This may include documentation such as:
- Your child’s prenatal record, delivery record and birth certificate
- Hospital records, radiology results and lab results
- Clinic notes and records from doctor’s visits
- Growth and developmental charts
- Vaccine lot number and manufacturer
- Other records that help demonstrate the effects of your child’s vaccine injury or illness
Parents and legal guardians can seek financial compensation for the costs of diagnosing and treating their child’s injury or illness. They can also recover up to $250,000 for their child’s pain and suffering. In appropriate cases, parents and legal guardians can seek to recover certain other losses (i.e. loss of future earning capacity) as well—and comprehensively identifying all current and future costs is essential for filing a successful claim.
Speak with Vaccine Injury Lawyer Leah V. Durant
If you need to speak with a lawyer about filing a VICP claim for a child vaccine injury, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with vaccine injury lawyer Leah V. Durant in confidence, call 202-800-1711 or request an appointment online today.
Leah Durant Bio
Experienced litigation attorney Leah Durant focuses on representing clients in complex vaccine litigation matters. Leah Durant is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, a litigation firm based in Washington, DC. Leah Durant and her staff represent clients and their families who suffer from vaccine-related injuries, adverse vaccine reactions and vaccine-related deaths. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is dedicated to assisting individuals in recovering the highest level of compensation as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more, contact vaccine attorney Leah Durant today.
Categories: National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
Leah Durant 
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