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Contact Us Today for a Free Polio Vaccine Injury Consultation

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Thanks to widespread vaccination since 1994, parents no longer have to worry about their children becoming paralyzed from polio. However, the polio vaccine can cause adverse reactions and injuries. The most common reactions include shoulder injuries (SIRVA), Paralytic Polio, Vasovagal Syncope, allergic reactions, and other injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a polio vaccine, you may be eligible for compensation from a federal fund called the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund. 

Contact our vaccine injury attorneys at (312) 578-9501 or fill out the form on this page to schedule your free consultation.

To learn more about polio vaccine vaccine injuries, keep reading.

What Types of the Polio Vaccine Are Available?

There are two different types of the polio vaccine administered throughout the world: the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and the oral polio vaccine (OPV). Both are covered by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). 

Since 2000, the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is the only polio vaccine given to children in the United States. The oral polio vaccine (OPV) is used in other countries. 

Who Should Get the Polio Vaccine? (And Who Should Not?)

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), infants and children should get the inactivated polio vaccine to protect against polio. The CDC recommends that children get four doses of this vaccination between the ages of 2 months and 6 years old. After the last dose, the immunity lasts a lifetime. 

Children who will be traveling to a country where there is a greater risk of getting polio should be fully vaccinated before leaving the country. 

Most children should be vaccinated against the polio virus. There are two situations where a child may be advised not to get vaccinated: 

  • If the child getting the vaccine has any severe, life-threatening allergies. 
  • If the child is sick at the time of vaccination. 

How Well Does the Polio Vaccine Work?

The inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) protects almost all children who get all four doses.

What Are the Common Side Effects of the Polio Vaccine? 

After getting vaccinated against the polio virus, people may experience an array of mild to moderate symptoms, including: 

  • Soreness, redness, swelling, or a lump at the injection site
  • Low fever 
  • Joint pain or body aches
  • Drowsiness or fatigue 
  • Vomiting

These symptoms typically last for a few days and go away on their own.

Can the Polio Vaccine Trigger Severe Reactions and Injuries?

Yes. In rare cases, someone may experience a serious injury after a polio vaccine. Some injuries have been recognized by the federal government because they were added to the Vaccine Injury Table in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)

Below, we discuss each of these severe reactions in detail. Keep reading to learn more about these conditions. 

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)

SIRVA injuries are one of the most common severe vaccine reactions seen in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. A shoulder injury from a vaccine happens when a vaccination is injected into the shoulder capsule, rather than the deltoid muscle. As a result, the shoulder becomes inflamed. 

Tell-tale signs of SIRVA include: 

  • Shoulder pain within 48 hours of vaccination 
  • Reduced range of motion 
  • Shoulder inflammation
  • Shooting or throbbing pain down your arm

When someone has SIRVA, they may be diagnosed with the following conditions: bursitis, tendonitis, adhesive capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder Syndrome), or rotator cuff injury. 

Most people with SIRVA make a full recovery within a year, although some may experience lasting shoulder pain or reduced range of motion. 

Paralytic Polio from Vaccine-strain Polio Viral Infection

The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) cannot cause paralytic polio. It contains a dead virus, so it cannot trigger a polio infection. 

However, in rare cases, the oral polio vaccine (OPV) can mutate and infect the patient with polio. According to the CDC, this strain causes vaccine-derived poliovirus, which spreads more easily to unvaccinated individuals. 

This infection can leave the patient paralyzed for the rest of their life. 

Vasovagal Syncope (Sudden Fainting) 

Sometimes, a polio vaccine can cause someone to suddenly faint, also known as vasovagal syncope. This condition isn’t dangerous itself–but it’s dangerous if the person gets injured while fainting.

Anaphylaxis (Allergic Reaction)

In very rare cases, a polio vaccination can trigger an allergic reaction and cause someone to go into anaphylactic shock

According to the Mayo Clinic, anaphylaxis is a serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. It may occur within minutes after getting the vaccine. If treated immediately, the patient will recover with no long-lasting side effects.

Compensation Available For Polio Vaccine Injuries

If you or a loved one has suffered from an injury as a result of a polio vaccine in the last three (3) years, you may be entitled to compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

This program offers a “no-fault” alternative to traditional lawsuits. Vaccine injury petitions can be filed by any individual after developing a serious adverse reaction from a covered vaccine that lasts more than six months. Under the VICP, the IPV and OPV vaccinations are covered.

Our vaccine injury attorney published a book called Understanding the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. You can request your free copy here. 

To discuss your potential claim, please call us at 312-578-9501. You can also submit a contact form below. We offer free consultations. Also, the vaccine injury court pays for attorney's fees, so our representation comes at no cost to our clients. We represent individuals from all 50 states as well.

Vaccine Injuries Book

Download your free copy of Vaccine Injuries: Understanding the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program by attorney Jonathan Svitak.

In this publication, Jonathan explains the history of this unique federal program and answers some of your most frequently asked questions about vaccine injury cases.