Over the past several decades, medical researchers have developed vaccines for a host of deadly and debilitating diseases, and the widespread use of these vaccines has dramatically improved health outcomes for people worldwide. As important as vaccines are, though, they can also be dangerous to certain people who have allergies to substances used in the production and distribution of these treatments, as well as to others with rare but potentially life-threatening medical conditions.

If you suffered a severe adverse reaction to a vaccine administered to you, a Philadelphia vaccine injury lawyer may be able to help you recover financial compensation directly from the federal government. These cases can be complex, but with help from a knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney from Marrone Law Firm, LLC, you will have better chances of securing the restitution you deserve than you would pursuing your claim on your own.

When Does a Vaccine Injury Justify Legal Action?

Since vaccines help immune systems fight off serious diseases by introducing an inert variant of the disease to the body, they can cause mild and potentially inconvenient side effects. Minor side effects like localized swelling, fever, and fatigue are not considered severe enough to justify a vaccine injury lawsuit.

To have grounds for litigation, someone who received a vaccine needs to have an uncommon and especially dangerous reaction. For example, they could have seizures requiring hospitalization or sepsis caused by an error during the vaccine’s administration. A Philadelphia vaccine injury attorney can answer specific questions about possible recovery options during a private initial consultation.

Recovering Through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

To encourage widespread vaccine use and protect public health, the federal government established the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) in 1986 as a means for people who have rare but serious complications from vaccines to receive compensation for their injuries on a fault-free basis. To have valid grounds for a VICP claim, an injured person must show that all the following criteria apply to them:

  • They received one of the vaccines specifically covered by the VICP within U.S. territory or as an armed forces member, government employee, or dependent of either overseas
  • There is significant medical evidence showing that the vaccine in question is linked with the claimant’s injury
  • There is significant medical evidence showing that the claimant’s injury stemmed mainly and directly from the specific vaccine in question
  • The claimant’s injury happened or first manifested relatively soon after they first received the vaccine in question

Prospective claimants in Philadelphia have three years after initially experiencing symptoms of their vaccine injury to file suit with help from a lawyer or two years after the date of a vaccine-related death to file suit on the deceased person’s behalf as a surviving family member.

Get Help from a Philadelphia Vaccine Injury Attorney

While vaccine injuries are fortunately rare, they do still happen, and they can have life-altering or even life-threatening consequences. If you or someone you love was severely hurt because of a negative vaccine reaction, you may have compensation available to you not through a standard personal injury lawsuit but directly from the government.

However, obtaining this compensation can be difficult without representation from an experienced Philadelphia vaccine injury lawyer with knowledge of VICP. Call Marrone Law Firm, LLC to get the assistance you deserve.