Beyond the Needle: The Hidden Costs of Flu Shot Injuries

Getting a flu shot is supposed to be a simple and straightforward process. You are supposed to go in, get your flu shot, go home and move on with your life. Unfortunately, for some people, this isn’t the case. Instead, they experience serious complications that require medical treatment—and they find themselves in need of an experienced vaccine injury lawyer.

When flu shots lead to serious complications, the costs can be substantial. This includes not only financial costs, but non-financial costs as well. For individuals who are coping with flu shot injuries, understanding these costs is important—as this will allow them to make informed decisions about their next steps.

Understanding the Financial and Non-Financial Costs of Flu Shot Injuries

With this in mind, if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a flu shot injury, what do you need to know? The first thing you need to know is that help is available. There is a federal program (the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)) that serves as a source of financial compensation for individuals and families who are coping with flu shot-related injuries and illnesses, and you can hire a vaccine injury lawyer to file a claim under this program at no out-of-pocket cost.

The second thing you need to know is that the VICP covers both financial and non-financial costs resulting from flu shot injuries. These costs fall into four broad categories:

• Medical Expenses – Regardless of the nature and severity of your (or your loved one’s) flu shot injury, you can seek full compensation for your (or your loved one’s) medical expenses under the VICP. This includes past, present and future medical bills for diagnosis, treatment and therapy. An experienced vaccine injury lawyer will be able to assist with ensuring that you seek the full compensation you deserve—including compensation for the medical bills that your family is likely to incur in the future.
• Other Out–of-Pocket Expenses – Along with medical expenses, the VICP also covers other out-of-pocket expenses resulting from flu shot injuries. These include expenses such as prescriptions, medical supplies, transportation, in-home care and other necessary services. Here too, an experienced vaccine injury lawyer will be able to assist with making sure you are seeking full compensation for your costs to date as well as your anticipated costs going forward.
• Lost Income – For flu shot recipients who are unable to work due to their injuries, the VICP also provides coverage for lost income. Whether you missed a couple of days while you were in the hospital or you will be unable to work for years to come, if you have lost earnings as a result of your flu shot injury, this is another category of financial costs that your vaccine injury lawyer can help you seek to recover.
• Pain and Suffering – In addition to covering vaccine recipients’ and families’ financial costs, the VICP also provides up to $250,000 in coverage for pain and suffering caused by flu shot injuries. There is no way to simply “add up” these costs, so seeking just compensation requires experienced legal representation. An experienced vaccine injury lawyer will be able to work with you and your (or your loved one’s) doctors to understand all of the ways that the injury has impacted—and will continue to impact—your (or your loved one’s) daily life.

How much financial compensation can you recover for the costs of a flu shot injury? The answer to this question is unique to you. Every patient’s and family’s circumstances are different. In some cases, the costs of flu shot injuries are relatively modest. In others, they are substantial. To find out what your VICP claim may be worth—and to make an informed decision about whether to take legal action—you should discuss your situation with an experienced vaccine injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Documenting the Costs of Your (or Your Loved One’s) Flu Shot Injury for Your VICP Claim

If you have a VICP claim for a flu shot injury, you will need documentation of the costs you are entitled to recover. There are several steps involved in documenting the costs of a vaccine-related injury; and, generally speaking, the more documentation you have, the better. With this in mind, some examples of the types of documentation that claimants can submit in support of their VICP claims include:

• Proof of Your (or Your Loved One’s) Flu Shot – Filing a VICP claim will require proof of your (or your loved one’s) flu shot.
• Medical Records for Diagnosis and Treatment of the Flu Shot Injury – Filing a VICP claim will also require proof of the costs you have incurred for diagnosis and treatment of your (or your loved one’s) flu shot injury.
• Bills, Receipts, Account Statements and Employment Records – Since the VICP also covers other out-of-pocket expenses and loss of earnings, you will need documentation of these costs as well.
• Documentation of Pain and Suffering – Photos, videos, written notes and various other forms of documentation can be used to help prove the non-financial costs of a serious flu shot injury.

If you don’t have any of these forms of documentation, that’s okay—your vaccine injury lawyer will be able to assist with gathering the documentation you need if you have a VICP claim. In any case, to make sure you don’t run out of time to file a claim, you should speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Speak with a Vaccine Injury Lawyer at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates

Are you dealing with the financial and non-financial costs of a flu shot injury? If so, we strongly encourage you to contact us for more information. An experienced vaccine injury lawyer can assess your legal rights under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and help you make informed decisions about what to do next. To get started with a free and confidential consultation, give us a call at 202-775-9200 or tell us how we can reach you online today.