If you have suffered from complications after you have received a flu vaccine, there are several steps that you must take afterward. Not only should you get care in order to improve your condition, but the steps that you take can also help determine whether you are able to receive compensation for your injuries. The most important thing that you can do if you are suffering complications from a flu shot is something. In other words, you should not simply sit on your hands and just hope that the side effects go away. Instead, you should be active in seeking to do something about your situation. Here are six things that you should do if you have flu shot complications.
Be Vigilant
If you find that you have pain or some other type of complication after a flu shot, it is important to take note of your situation. You should downplay your situation and pretend that there is no problem. It is normal to experience some sort of discomfort after a flu vaccine and you should make sure to stay on top of your situation. Monitor your condition for any type of change. Certainly, if there is any degeneration in your condition, you need to be prepared to do something. Certain adverse reactions can be fatal if you do not receive help for them right away.
Document Your Condition and Damages
You should be keeping a journal of your condition if you believe that you are suffering any kind of side effects from a flu vaccination. This will make it easier to prove a claim for damages down the road if it is necessary. In addition, you should be taking pictures of your injury if necessary. The more that you have documented, the better your chances are to receive compensation for your injuries. If you any other damages, such as time from work that you have missed, make sure to keep track of that as well. Be as thorough as you can in creating a file that is related to your side effects. You should also retain evidence of where and when you received the flu vaccination.
Get Medical Help
Do not feel as if you are being weak by seeking out medical help for your side effect. In fact, as soon as you think that something may be wrong, it is vital to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Not only may it help you get some sort of relief, but it is also the first step in beginning to receive a medical opinion that can help form the basis of a claim. You want to be seen by a doctor while you are in the midst of your side effects so you can obtain the strongest possible evidence of damages. Your medical reports will be what the vaccine court will look at when they are analyzing your claim so it will be helpful to be as expansive as possible in getting records. The worst that happens is that you waste an afternoon going to the doctor. It is better than having to present a claim that does not have a timely expert opinion from a physician.
Follow Instructions
It is vital to do whatever the physician tells you on your visit. If not, you may be jeopardizing your ability to receive compensation for your injuries. Whether you have done anything to make your situation worse may curtail what you can receive in payment for your side effects. If the doctor has laid out a course of treatment, make sure that you follow it closely. If you have been prescribed a course of physical therapy for your shoulder injury, make sure that you go for all of the necessary appointments and do all of the exercises that you have been assigned. Most of the damage awards are given when the condition does not readily go away after physical therapy.
Hire an Attorney
It is difficult to deal with the aftermath of flu vaccine complications. First, your health may be suffering and you may find yourself in constant pain. There are many different things to deal with in addition to your health, and you may not even know where to start. This is where an attorney is helpful. There are lawyers who have specialized knowledge of what to do after flu vaccine complications. Their knowledge means that you do not have to go through this alone, wondering what you need to do to present a strong case. Flu vaccine injury lawyers will know what steps need to be taken for your claim.
File a Claim for Compensation
The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program exists to provide payments to people who have been injured by flu vaccines. It is a streamlined quasi-court process that makes it easier to file a claim. You do not have to go through the effort and stress of filing a lawsuit against the company that made the flu vaccine or the clinic where you received the injection. Instead of filing the lawsuit, you file a claim. With this claim, you will provide the supporting documentation that you have been advised to compile above. In most cases, your claim for compensation is decided without even needing to have any kind of hearing. In many cases, the government will decide that there should be a settlement without you having to do anything more other than filing your claim. This is why you need to contact a vaccine injury lawyer who knows and understands the system.