While flu shot injuries are rare, they do happen. Each year, many flu shot recipients and healthcare providers report injuries using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), and many more recipients file claims under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).
7 Steps to Take After a Flu Shot Injury
If you experience a flu shot injury during the 2023-2024 flu season, it is important to know what to do next. Here are some tips from vaccine injury attorney Leah V. Durant:
1. Seek a Diagnosis and Treatment Promptly
First and foremost, any time you have concerns about your health, you should see a doctor promptly. Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you can get in quickly, or go to the hospital if necessary.
When you see a doctor, describe your symptoms in detail. Also, be sure to tell your doctor about your recent flu shot. This will help your doctor provide an accurate diagnosis, and it will also help ensure that you have the medical documentation you need to file a claim under the VICP.
2. Make Sure You Have a Record of Your Flu Shot (or Know Where You Can Get It)
To file a claim under the VICP, you will need a record of your flu shot. So, if you have access to your immunization record, now is a good time to make a copy and put it in a safe place. If you have a receipt from the pharmacy or your doctor’s office, this will work as well. The key is to be able to prove both (i) that you received a flu shot and (ii) when you got your immunization for the 2023-2024 flu season.
If you don’t have a record of your flu shot, that’s okay. Your vaccine injury attorney should be able to track one down. For now, just make a note of where and when you got your flu shot so that your attorney knows where to request a copy of your immunization record.
3. Start Keeping Your Medical Bills and Other Records
Along with keeping your documentation of your flu shot (if you have it), you should also start keeping copies of any other records you receive that are related to your flu shot injury. This includes not only medical bills and receipts but also employment records if you miss time from work. The VICP pays compensation for eligible claimants’ medical expenses and lost wages, but you will need documentation in order to prove how much you are entitled to recover.
If you aren’t sure whether a record or receipt is worth keeping, it is a good idea to keep it—at least for now. Once you hire a vaccine attorney to represent you, your attorney will be able to review your records and decide which ones are necessary for your VICP claim.
4. Start Keeping Track of Your Daily Pain Levels
In addition to medical expenses and lost wages, the VICP also pays compensation for eligible claimants’ pain and suffering. While your diagnosis and medical records will help demonstrate the effects of your flu shot injury, it will be helpful for you to start keeping track of your daily pain levels as well. You don’t need to follow any specific system—just be consistent and as accurate as possible.
5. Document All of the Ways Your Flu Shot Injury Impacts Your Life
The “suffering” aspect of pain and suffering covers all of the various other ways your flu shot injury impacts your life. For example, if you experience anxiety or depression, you may be entitled to compensation above and beyond the costs you incur for treatment. If you are unable to attend holiday gatherings or spend time with your friends or family, these are losses for which compensation may be available as well.
6. Learn About the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a federal government program that exists solely to compensate vaccine recipients and their families for the costs of vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. It is unique from other government programs, and the process of filing a claim is very different from filing a claim for any other type of government benefits.
When you need to file a VICP claim, it is important to understand what you can expect along the way. Our VICP FAQs are a good place to start. Here, you can learn about everything from the steps involved in the process to how long you can expect to wait for a resolution.
7. Schedule a Free Consultation with a Vaccine Injury Attorney
When you need to file a VICP claim, it is also important to seek help from an experienced vaccine injury attorney. The process of filing a VICP claim is complicated, and there is a lot you need to know in order to recover the full compensation you deserve. Filing a VICP claim also involves dealing with government attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); and, in some cases, it involves proving your legal rights in court.
Since the VICP pays claimants’ legal fees separately from their compensation awards, you can hire a vaccine injury attorney at no cost to you—and you are significantly more likely to have success with an experienced attorney on your side. Your attorney can prepare all of the documentation needed to prove your legal rights, deal with the government’s attorneys on your behalf, and represent you in court if necessary.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation with Vaccine Injury Attorney Leah V. Durant
If you are dealing with a flu shot injury from the 2023-2024 flu season, we encourage you to contact us promptly for more information. It costs nothing to learn about your legal rights. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with vaccine injury attorney Leah V. Durant, give us a call at 202-800-1711 or tell us how we can reach you 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: vaccine injury, Vaccine Injury Claim, Vaccine Injury Compensation
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