The Tdap vaccine (also known as DTaP, DTP, DT, Td, or TT) has been very successful at preventing serious diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. Thanks to this vaccine, the incidence of these diseases in the United States is very low. However, in a small number of cases, this vaccine can cause serious injury. These injuries include anaphylactic shock and brachial neuritis.
Brachial neuritis is an irritation of the brachial plexus. The brachial plexus is a complex network of nerves that starts at the spinal cord and extends down the side of the neck behind the collarbone to the arm. These nerves control muscles in the shoulder, arm, forearm, and hand. A person suffering from brachial neuritis can have severe pain and weakness in the shoulder and arm. Sometimes this pain and weakness can even extend down into the hand. In severe cases where brachial neuritis persists for weeks, muscle tissue in the shoulder and arm can be lost. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that if you suffer from any of these symptoms after receiving the Tdap vaccine, you may be entitled to compensation. The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program considers brachial neuritis caused by the Tdap vaccine to be a table injury—that is, if your symptoms were caused by the vaccine and meet certain conditions, it is presumed that you are entitled to compensation.
Generally speaking, if you experience severe pain in your shoulder or arm where you received the vaccine that begins after the second day of administration, and that pain lasts for not more than 26 more days, you may have a good claim for compensation.
If you have suffered from these symptoms, call or email us so our team of experienced vaccine lawyers can evaluate your claim and help you get compensation.