Over 30 years ago, the U.S. federal government created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) for people who have been injured by vaccines. This no-fault program is funded by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund. The Fund collects an excise tax of $.75 on every covered vaccine that is purchased.
One downside to the program for injured people is the Program’s strict time deadlines for filing a petition, also known as the statute of limitations.
Typically, you have three (3) years to file a petition with the VICP. However, the clock starts ticking with the first sign of symptoms—not when you first discover that a vaccine caused your injury. For vaccine injuries resulting in death, you have two (2) years to file with the VICP.
GBS and SIRVA: Vaccine Injury Table updated in 2017
Although the VICP has strict filing deadlines, a recent exception was made due to a change to the Vaccine Injury Table. The Vaccine Injury Table lists conditions and injuries associated with vaccines covered under the VICP.
On February 21, 2017, the Table was officially changed to include two new injuries. A condition known as Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) was added for all covered vaccines. SIRVA is an injury that happens when the injection punctures shoulder tendons, ligaments, and/or the bursa, resulting in extreme and long-lasting pain.
For seasonal influenza vaccines, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) was added as an injury. GBS is a disorder that happens when someone’s immune system damages their own nerve cells, resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
If either of these changes makes an ineligible person eligible to receive compensation under the VICP, he or she has an extra two (2) years to file from the date of the change.
However, the exception only applies for injuries dating back eight (8) years from the change.
Contact us today to have our vaccine injury lawyers review your claim
After discovering you have a vaccine-related injury, you may not know where to go or to whom to turn.
Our vaccine lawyers at Shannon Law Group, P.C., understand your situation and are here to help you navigate through this uncertain time.
When you’re ready to contact us, you can call us at (312) 578-9501, or fill out our online contact form. A free, no-obligation consultation is available as well, either at our office or over the telephone.
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