What Should You Do if You Get Diagnosed with SIRVA from a Covid Vaccine?

Shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) are a concern with all types of immunizations. This includes immunization against Covid-19. Since these injuries result from errors during injections, the specific vaccine being administered doesn’t matter. What should you do if you get diagnosed with SIRVA from a Covid vaccine? National vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant explains:

Step #1: Make Sure You Understand Your Diagnosis

With that said, everyone responds to complications from immunization errors differently. As a result, it is important not to make any assumptions about the severity of your vaccine-related injury. Even with prompt diagnosis and treatment, SIRVA can often have long-term effects. If you are at risk of facing lingering or permanent complications, having a clear understanding of your diagnosis will allow you to make informed decisions with your future wellbeing in mind.

Step #2: Be Sure to Keep Your Vaccination Record

Any time you have concerns about a vaccine-related injury, it is important to keep your vaccination record. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injury; and, if you have a claim, you will need proof of your immunization.

Covid-19 vaccine cards, medical records, and even receipts from your pharmacy can serve as proof that you got vaccinated. If you have more than one of these, you should keep them all. If you don’t currently have proof of your vaccination, you should try to contact the provider that administered your vaccine, or at least write down where you got immunized so that your vaccine attorney can obtain your vaccination record on your behalf if necessary.

Step #3: Keep Track of Your SIRVA-Related Costs

Along with preserving any documentation of your immunization against Covid-19, you should also keep track of your SIRVA-related costs. This means doing your best to keep records such as:

• • Medical records, bills and receipts

• • Receipts for prescriptions, medical supplies and other necessary purchases

• • Employment records documenting any time you miss from work

You should also do your best to document the day-to-day effects of your vaccine-related shoulder injury. In the future, it may be possible to recover just compensation for the financial and non-financial costs of SIRVA from Covid-19 immunizations. But, to seek just compensation for the non-financial costs of your injury, you will need proof of these costs as well. To document your pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, and other non-financial costs, you should try to:

• • Take photos or videos to document your injury and your recovery process

• • Take notes every day detailing any activities or events you miss as a result of your SIRVA

• • Record your pain levels on a daily basis at various points throughout the day, making particular note of any instances of severe pain or movements that cause discomfort

If you have a claim for SIRVA caused by a Covid-19 vaccine, the more documentation you have in your possession, the easier it will be to calculate the financial compensation you are entitled to recover. If you aren’t sure what information you need, you can never have too much information, and you can always talk to a vaccine attorney if you have questions about what you should be doing to protect your legal rights.

Step #4: Make Informed Decisions About Your Medical and Vaccination Needs

As you move forward, it will also be important to ensure that you are making informed decisions about your medical and vaccination needs. This means that you should follow your doctor’s advice (or seek a second opinion, if necessary) regarding your SIRVA treatment and the need for rest and recovery.

It also means that you should not forego other vaccinations based solely on your SIRVA diagnosis. Overall, vaccine-related shoulder injuries are extremely rare. If you have concerns about getting your annual flu shot or any other vaccine, you should make an informed decision based on the advice of a qualified physician.

Step #5: Talk to a Vaccine Attorney About Protecting Your Legal Rights

Finally, you should talk to a vaccine attorney about protecting your legal rights. Currently, the Covid-19 vaccines are not covered under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). While they are covered under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), this program only provides minimal compensation, and only a very small percentage of Covid-related claims under the CICP have been successful.

So, while filing a claim under the CICP might be the best option for you, you might also have other—and better—options available. An experienced vaccine attorney will be able to explain everything you need to know and guide you through your next steps.

Currently, we are anticipating that the Covid-19 vaccines will be added to the VICP eventually, and it may make sense to wait and see if you can file a VICP claim in the future. If you have a VICP claim, you will be able to seek full compensation for your out-of-pocket expenses, loss of income, and non-financial costs, and you will be able to hire a vaccine attorney to handle your Covid-19 SIRVA claim at no cost to you. To be clear, however, you should not simply take a wait-and-see approach. Rather, you should consult with an attorney to make sure you don’t lose your eligibility to file a claim.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Vaccine Attorney at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates

If you need to know more about seeking financial compensation for SIRVA caused by a Covid-19 vaccine, we invite you to get in touch. To speak with an experienced vaccine attorney at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates about your legal rights in confidence, please call 202-775-9200 or request a free consultation online today.

You should also do your best to document the day-to-day effects of your vaccine-related shoulder injury. In the future, it may be possible to recover just compensation for the financial and non-financial costs of SIRVA from Covid-19 immunizations. But, to seek just compensation for the non-financial costs of your injury, you will need proof of these costs as well. To document your pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, and other non-financial costs, you should try to:

• • Take photos or videos to document your injury and your recovery process

• • Take notes every day detailing any activities or events you miss as a result of your SIRVA

• • Record your pain levels on a daily basis at various points throughout the day, making particular note of any instances of severe pain or movements that cause discomfort

If you have a claim for SIRVA caused by a Covid-19 vaccine, the more documentation you have in your possession, the easier it will be to calculate the financial compensation you are entitled to recover. If you aren’t sure what information you need, you can never have too much information, and you can always talk to a vaccine attorney if you have questions about what you should be doing to protect your legal rights.

Step #4: Make Informed Decisions About Your Medical and Vaccination Needs

As you move forward, it will also be important to ensure that you are making informed decisions about your medical and vaccination needs. This means that you should follow your doctor’s advice (or seek a second opinion, if necessary) regarding your SIRVA treatment and the need for rest and recovery.

It also means that you should not forego other vaccinations based solely on your SIRVA diagnosis. Overall, vaccine-related shoulder injuries are extremely rare. If you have concerns about getting your annual flu shot or any other vaccine, you should make an informed decision based on the advice of a qualified physician.

Step #5: Talk to a Vaccine Attorney About Protecting Your Legal Rights

Finally, you should talk to a vaccine attorney about protecting your legal rights. Currently, the Covid-19 vaccines are not covered under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). While they are covered under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), this program only provides minimal compensation, and only a very small percentage of Covid-related claims under the CICP have been successful.

So, while filing a claim under the CICP might be the best option for you, you might also have other—and better—options available. An experienced vaccine attorney will be able to explain everything you need to know and guide you through your next steps.

Currently, we are anticipating that the Covid-19 vaccines will be added to the VICP eventually, and it may make sense to wait and see if you can file a VICP claim in the future. If you have a VICP claim, you will be able to seek full compensation for your out-of-pocket expenses, loss of income, and non-financial costs, and you will be able to hire a vaccine attorney to handle your Covid-19 SIRVA claim at no cost to you. To be clear, however, you should not simply take a wait-and-see approach. Rather, you should consult with an attorney to make sure you don’t lose your eligibility to file a claim.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Vaccine Attorney at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates

If you need to know more about seeking financial compensation for SIRVA caused by a Covid-19 vaccine, we invite you to get in touch. To speak with an experienced vaccine attorney at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates about your legal rights in confidence, please call 202-775-9200 or request a free consultation online today.