The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the power to recommend a countermeasure during the time of a medical emergency. At this time, the Covid-19 vaccine is considered such a countermeasure. Injuries sustained from countermeasures are handled through the CICP instead of the VICP.
The CICP offers an opportunity for individuals who have been injured by a countermeasure to receive compensation. However, the CICP offers a much more limited avenue for recovery and does not include all of the remedies that the VICP does. In particular, the CICP does not provide provisions for pain and suffering and it does not provide for attorneys’ fees. There is also a one- year statute of limitations to bring a CICP claim.
Although the Covid-19 vaccine is not currently covered under the VICP, it is possible that at some point in the near future it will be. This is a very complicated and ever evolving part of the law right now. If you believe you have been injured by the Covid-19 vaccine, you are free to call us to discuss your case and we will happily do so free of charge. We can walk you through your options so that you can make an informed decision on what you would like to do. Like was said previously, this is an ever-evolving topic and issue in the law so any information contained in this post could be outdated by the time you read it. However, if you contact us we will give you the latest information available to us.