Know When to Seek Help After a Painful Vaccination

You just got home from the clinic or doctor’s office, and you are in pain. You know that some amount of discomfort is normal, but you don’t remember it being this bad last time you got vaccinated. Should you seek a diagnosis? Should you wait to see if your condition worsens? Or, is it safe to assume that you will be okay?

Unfortunately, the risk of vaccine-related injuries is very real. While these injuries can result from adverse reactions to specific vaccine ingredients, they can also result from errors during routine vaccine administration.

How Much Pain is Normal?

After an intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous injection, it is normal to feel a certain amount of pain. This pain can last anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days, and it can radiate out from the injection site. For example, with regard to the annual flu shot, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state:

“The most common side effects from the influenza shot are soreness, redness, and tenderness or swelling where the shot was given. Low-grade fever, headache and muscle aches also may occur.. . . [P]eople sometimes experience a sore arm where the shot was given. The needle stick may also cause some soreness at the injection site. Rarely, people who get the flu shot have fever, muscle pain, and feelings of discomfort or weakness. If experienced at all, these effects usually last for 1-2 days after vaccination….”

Of course, if you have any concerns about your health or medical condition, it is best to be safe and see your doctor right away. Everyone reacts to vaccines and vaccination errors differently; and, if you have experienced an injury such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) or a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA), you will want to obtain a diagnosis and begin treatment as soon as possible.

Should You Speak with an Attorney about Your Vaccine Injury?

If you have been diagnosed with a vaccine injury, should you also discuss your vaccination with an attorney?

In most cases, yes. Under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), most individuals diagnosed with vaccine injuries will be eligible to seek financial compensation for their medical bills, loss of income, and pain and suffering. These losses can be substantial; and, without compensation, many people are never able to fully recover from their vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. Since conditions and time limitations apply, it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Learn more about seeking financial compensation for vaccine injuries and illnesses:

• FAQs: About the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)
• FAQs: Filing a Claim Under the VICP

Pain After a Flu Shot or Other Vaccination? Contact Us to Discuss Your Legal Rights

If you believe that you may be entitled to compensation under the VICP, or if you are not sure and would like to find out, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. To schedule an appointment with national vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant, please call (202) 800-1711 or inquire 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.