Flu shots, tetanus, and other vaccines injected into the wrong place on the shoulder can cause SIRVA, a medical term for a range of injuries that cause chronic pain, inflammation, limited range of motion.
Need a Texas SIRVA Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one had a shoulder injury from a vaccine shot, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas.
What is SIRVA?
Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) is a debilitating side effect of vaccine shots that are injected into the shoulder. It is most commonly caused by the flu shot or tetanus shot.
Symptoms may include:
- Shoulder pain
- Limited range of motion
- Weakness
- Chronic inflammation
What Causes SIRVA?
SIRVA occurs when the shot is given too high on the shoulder (upper third of the deltoid muscle) or too deep into tissues, nerves, and tendons lying underneath the deltoid muscle.
How long does it take for symptoms to appear?
According to two recent studies (Atanasoff 2010, Bodor 2007), three-quarters of patients developed symptoms of SIRVA within 24 hours and 93% (14 of 15) developed symptoms within 48 hours of vaccination.
Tendonitis and Bursitis
Severe shoulder injuries can occur when the needle punctures the bursa sac, which is a fluid-filled space that lubricates movements of muscles, tendons, and bones. Tendon injuries can also occur if the needle punctures a tendon in the shoulder.
These complications can cause severe inflammation, resulting in painful conditions like bursitis or tendonitis. People with these complications have limited range of motion. In some cases, these symptoms are permanent.
Types of SIRVA
- Brachial neuritis
- Deltoid bursitis
- Shoulder bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
- Rotator cuff injury
- Impingement syndrome
Treatment
If shoulder pain from a vaccine does not resolve on its own within a few days, a doctor may recommend physical therapy or corticosteroid treatments.
People with SIRVA may need physical therapy 2-3 times per week for several months. If this is not successful, they may need injections of anti-inflammatory medications.
Unfortunately, corticosteroid injections are only a temporary fix — they do not treat the underlying condition. In the most severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair tendons or correct other problems in the shoulder.
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)
The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a federal program that was created in the 1980s to help victims of vaccine side effects. Funded by a $0.75 excise tax on all vaccines, the program has paid out more than $2.8 billion since 1989.
A person may be diagnosed with SIRVA if they meet the following criteria:
- No history of pain, inflammation or dysfunction of the shoulder before the vaccine
- Pain occurs within 48 hours of the vaccine
- Pain and reduced range of motion are limited to the shoulder in which the vaccine was administered
- No other condition is present that would explain the symptoms (e.g. NCS/EMG or clinical evidence of radiculopathy, brachial neuritis, mononeuropathies, or any other neuropathy)
Need a SIRVA Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas SIRVA lawyers for a free lawsuit review.
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