Weakness, Numbness, or Paralysis After a Vaccination May Be Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
If you experience tingling and numbness in the feet that gradually spreads upward after receiving a vaccine, you need to seek medical attention. These may be the first signs of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a serious neurological condition. Recovery can take months or years. Some individuals diagnosed with GBS experience lasting neurological effects.
GBS following the seasonal flu vaccine is a recognized injury under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). GBS and related conditions following other covered vaccines have also been compensated by the VICP.
Dhairya Jani practiced inside the VICP for years in multiple roles: as a lead DOJ Vaccine Trial Attorney, and as a federal judicial law clerk at the Vaccine Court. He has the experience you need to navigate the petition process and receive compensation for GBS. For a free and confidential consultation, contact our law firm today.
What Is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a neurological condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves. It typically starts with tingling or weakness in the feet and legs and can progress upward, affecting the arms, torso, and in serious cases the muscles that control breathing.
The exact cause of GBS after receiving a vaccine is still not fully understood. The current prevailing hypothesis involves molecular mimicry, in which the immune system is stimulated by vaccine components to attack nerve tissue.
Symptoms of Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Symptoms of GBS typically start within 3 to 42 days of receiving a vaccine. These symptoms include:
- Tingling, numbness, or a pins-and-needles sensation starting in the feet or legs
- Progressive weakness moving upward from the legs toward the arms and torso
- Loss of reflexes
- Difficulty walking, climbing stairs, or using your hands
- In serious cases: difficulty breathing requiring hospitalization or mechanical ventilation
Does Your GBS Qualify Under the Vaccine Injury Table?
GBS following the seasonal flu vaccine is listed on the Vaccine Injury Table. If your diagnosis falls within the 3-to-42-day onset window after a flu vaccination and there is no other identified cause, the VICP already recognizes your injury as vaccine-related. The government then bears the burden of proving otherwise.
What If Your GBS Followed a Different Vaccine, or the Timing Was Off?
GBS does not only follow the flu shot. GBS following other covered vaccines has been compensated in the Program as an off-table claim. The same is true for GBS cases where onset fell outside the 3-to-42-day Table window.
If your situation does not fit the Table criteria perfectly, you may still have a case. Off-table vaccine injury cases have been compensated where a sound medical theory connects the vaccination to the injury.
Related conditions that have also been addressed in the VICP:
- GBS with Onset Outside the 3-to-42-Day Window: May still be viable depending on your specific facts.
- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP): The chronic relapsing counterpart of GBS, involving recurring nerve damage over months and years rather than a single acute episode.
- Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS): A GBS variant that primarily affects the eyes and coordination rather than causing the classic ascending leg weakness. Often initially misdiagnosed for this reason.
Why Choose Jani Law PLLC for Your GBS Case
Whether your GBS case proceeds as a Table claim following the flu vaccine or requires off-table causation development, building a strong record from the outset is what determines the outcome. Contested cases where the government challenges causation require a causation theory, expert development, and a medical record built to withstand scrutiny at every stage.
Dhairya Jani was a DOJ Trial Attorney on more than 85 Vaccine Court cases, including GBS and GBS-family claims that went to contested hearings and others that resolved through negotiated settlements. He has been on the government’s side of these cases. He knows what the government looks for in the medical record, where it challenges causation, and what it takes to build a case that holds up.
Have You Been Diagnosed with GBS? Contact Jani Law PLLC Today.
If you developed GBS or a related condition after a vaccination, contact Jani Law PLLC today for a free, confidential consultation. Attorney’s fees are paid separately by the VICP. You keep 100% of any compensation awarded.