Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a rare inflammatory and neurological disorder that causes the immune system to attack certain nerve cells in your body. It specifically targets nerve cells that control muscle coordination and movement in the body. While the causes of Guillain-Barre Syndrome vary, the medical community has recognized that certain vaccinations such as the flu vaccine can trigger Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
The onset of GBS symptoms often begins quickly. The first signs of GBS include tingling, numbness, and weakness in your extremities, starting at your hands and feet. These symptoms may get progressively worse and can develop into partial or full paralysis. Guillain-Barre Syndrome can be a life-altering injury. Although most people recover, others will have residual symptoms for the rest of their life.
Every year, people in the United States experience GBS after a flu shot or other vaccines. These folks often shoulder the burden of recovery and paying medical expenses associated with treatment.
For people in these situations, there is hope. The federal government created a no-fault path to compensation for vaccine injury victims. It’s called the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Under this program, people who are diagnosed with GBS after a vaccine are entitled to receive compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
If you or someone you love was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome following a flu shot or another vaccination, we want you to know that you have options. At Shannon Law Group, P.C., we help people like you recover financially and emotionally following a serious vaccine injury by petitioning for compensation from the VICP.
To learn more about your rights, contact us today for a free consultation. Call us 24/7 at (312) 578-9501 or fill out the form on this page to get started.
Keep reading to learn more about vaccine-related GBS and what you need to know about compensation.
What is GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome)?
Since the eradication of polio, GBS has become the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis, which is a sudden onset of weakness and paralysis.
As we discussed, GBS syndrome is a rare immune disorder in which your own immune system creates an inflammatory response that damages the Schwann cells or peripheral nerves. It often targets the sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves.
Types of Guillain-Barre Syndrome
While GBS is one type of autoimmune diagnosis, there are several variants of this condition that have been recognized by the medical community. As such, the following autoimmune disorders have also been linked to the seasonal flu shot and other vaccines:
- Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (AIDP)
- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)
- Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMAN)
- Acute Panautonomic Neuropathy
- Acute Motor Sensory Axonal Neuropathy (AMSAN)
- Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS)
- Bickerstaff’s Brainstem Encephalitis (BBE)
- Pharyngeal-Cervical-Brachial Variant
What Are The Most Common GBS Symptoms?
GBS symptoms usually begin with some numbness and/or tingling sensations in the feet or hands. These symptoms are followed by bilateral weakness in the arms and legs.
As Guillain-Barre Syndrome progresses, you will have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Other common GBS symptoms to watch out for include:
- Prickling or pins and needles sensations in your fingers, toes, ankles, or wrists;
- Weakness in your legs that progresses up your body;
- Severe pain in your legs;
- Rapid heart rate;
- Sudden changes in blood pressure;
- Unsteady walking or inability to walk or climb stairs;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Difficulty with vision;
- Difficulty with facial movements, including speaking, chewing, or swallowing;
- Problems with digestion or incontinence.
By week three of the syndrome, most patients are at their worst. On rare occasions, a patient may lose all function of their muscles, becoming totally paralyzed. In those situations, the Guillain-Barre Syndrome is life-threatening.
GBS After Flu Shot
Medical communities and studies have shown that the flu shot causes Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). After a vaccination campaign in 1976 against the swine flu, an increase in the incidence of GBS was noticed.
In the United States, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program offers compensation to people injured by vaccines listed on the Vaccine Injury Table.
According to the Vaccine Injury Table, if you receive a seasonal flu vaccine and experience the onset of GBS symptoms between three (3) and forty-two (42) days later, you will have met the criteria set forth in the Table.
All types of GBS have the interval between the onset of symptoms and the critical point of weakness that happens between twelve (12) hours and twenty-eight (28) days. Once reaching the clinical nadir, people with GBS will typically plateau and subsequently see some improvement.
Will I Recover from GBS Caused by Flu Shot?
While every patient is different, most people diagnosed with GBS after a flu shot will make a full recovery within six months to a year. However, approximately one-third of GBs patients will experience residual symptoms for years following diagnosis. These lingering symptoms are often pain and muscle weakness.
Having experienced GBS can also increase your chances of developing GBS disease again in the future. This is known as a “relapse” by the medical community.
In very rare cases, patients may experience severe long-term complications from GBS such as:
- Chronic pain
- Changes in blood pressure
- Paralysis
- Sensory impairments
- Complications from respiratory dysfunction
IS GBS A Permanent Condition?
While most patients will recover from GBS, others suffer from long-term side effects, including weakness, fatigue, and pain. As a result, they may use assistive devices to walk.
Others require the assistance of therapists or family members to perform activities of daily living. For many people, GBS can have a severe mental and emotional toll as well.
What Types Of GBS Treatment Are Available?
There are two common ways to treat GBS that have been shown to reduce symptoms:
- Plasma exchange therapy. During plasma exchange, blood cells are extracted from the patient and then returned once the plasma has been removed, along with bad antibodies that have been damaging the nerves.
- Immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg). In IVIg therapy, immunoglobulin proteins are injected into the patient. These proteins help attack the infection. Once the patient starts to recover, they will be transferred to a rehabilitation unit. There, they start physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sometimes speech therapy.
The road back to normal is often a long and difficult one. Over months and years, the patient regains his or her strength and independence, adapting to his or her new reality. In some cases, recovering from GBS can take years.
How to Get Compensation for GBS Following a Flu Vaccine
Until 2017, obtaining compensation for GBS after a flu shot was very difficult in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. This is because GBS was not listed on the Vaccine Injury Table. It was added in 2017 as a recognized vaccine injury for the seasonal flu vaccine.
Today, individuals who are diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (including its variants) within 42 days after receiving a flu shot can now successfully petition for compensation without needing to prove the vaccine did, in fact, trigger the onset of GBS symptoms.
Do I need to hire a Vaccine Injury Lawyer?
The short answer is yes. Why?
First, vaccine injury attorneys like the ones at Shannon Law Group have years of combined legal experience to help you navigate your claim. We can handle the legal aspects of your case while you focus on your recovery.
Second, it costs you nothing to hire a lawyer. The court pays for attorney’s fees associated with your GBS vaccine injury claim. You will never receive a bill or invoice from our office either.
How long do I have to file a vaccine injury claim after a GBS diagnosis?
You have three (3) years from the first symptom or onset of GBS syndrome to file a petition for compensation to the VICP. In cases involving wrongful death, you have two (2) years from the date of death and four (4) years from the onset of the condition.
Diagnosed With GBS After A Flu Shot? Schedule Your Free GBS Lawsuit Case Review Today
If you believe you have suffered from Guillain-Barre Syndrome from a vaccine, you may be entitled to compensation from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Call us today at (312) 578-9501 to speak with one of our vaccine injury lawyers today. You can also message us here. Our consultations are always free. We’re just a call or contact form away.
Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
Recent Blog Posts
How to File an HPV Vaccine Lawsuit in the VICP
By Jon Svitak |
Tetanus Shot Side Effects in Adults: What You Need to Know
By Jon Svitak |
