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SIRVA Lawsuit

When a vaccine is injected too high or too deep into the shoulder, a wide range of shoulder injuries, known as SIRVA, can occur. Symptoms may include chronic pain, inflammation, limited flexibility, weakness, and more.

What You Can Do & How a SIRVA Lawsuit Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting SIRVA induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know had a shoulder injury, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Vaccine Injury Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What is SIRVA?

SIRVA is an acronym for “Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration.” It refers to a wide range of shoulder problems that occur when vaccines are injected into the wrong place on the shoulder, too high or too deep.

How Does SIRVA Occur?

SIRVA can occur when the injection is given in the upper third of the deltoid muscle. It can also occur when the needle punctures deep into tissues underneath the deltoid muscle, including nerves or tendons.

Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa sac, which is a fluid-filled space that helps the shoulder move smoothly. This complication can occur if the needle punctures the bursa sac.

What Causes SIRVA?

The flu vaccine and tetanus shot are the most common causes of SIRVA, but any vaccine in the shoulder could potentially cause this syndrome.

Symptoms of SIRVA

  • Shoulder pain
  • Limited range of motion
  • Weakness
  • Chronic inflammation

Time Until Symptoms Appear

Most people with SIRVA develop symptoms within 48 hours of the vaccination. Two studies (Atanasoff 2010, Bodor 2007) found that three-quarters of cases occurred within 24 hours. Fourteen out of 15 patients (93%) had symptoms within 48 hours.

What Shoulder Injuries Can SIRVA Cause?

  • Brachial neuritis
  • Deltoid bursitis
  • Shoulder bursitis
  • Tendinitis
  • Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
  • Rotator cuff injury
  • Impingement syndrome

Treatment for SIRVA

SIRVA causes an inflammatory reaction in the shoulder. The first line of treatment is usually physical therapy 2-3 times per week for three months. If that does not work, a doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory corticosteroid shots. The last-resort treatment is surgery, but this treatment is not effective in all cases.

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)

In the 1980s, Congress established the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) to compensate victims of vaccine side effects. The program is funded by a $0.75 excise tax on all vaccines. Since 1989, over $2.8 billion has been paid out to thousands of people injured by vaccines.

If you were diagnosed with SIRVA after a vaccine, you may be eligible for compensation. In general, eligible applicants should meet the following criteria:

  • Before the vaccine you had no history of pain, inflammation, or shoulder dysfunction.
  • Shoulder pain began within 48 hours of the vaccine.
  • Only the shoulder where you received the vaccine is affected by pain and reduced range of motion.
  • You do not have any other conditions that would explain why you have symptoms (for example, NCS/EMG, radiculopathy, brachial neuritis, mononeuropathies, or any other neuropathy)

Do I have a SIRVA Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting SIRVA injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by SIRVA, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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