Zostavax Lawsuit

Lawsuits against Merck & Co. are building as individuals come forward with allegations that taking Zostavax, a shingles vaccine led to serious life-altering injuries in patients who received the vaccine. Thousands of patients may have unintentionally contracted the virus or experienced severe injuries as a direct result of receiving the vaccine.

A multidistrict litigation was filed in 2018 on behalf of individuals who received the Zostavax vaccine and contracted the shingles virus and/or experienced other adverse effects. Current pending lawsuits allege that Merck & Co. is guilty of the following items:

• Merck failed to properly warn patients of potential Zostavax side effects
• Merck continued to sell Zostavax even though it could severely injure patients
• Zostavax is a faulty vaccine

What Is Zostavax?

Zostavax is an FDA approved medication developed by Merck & Co. designed to reduce a patient’s risk of contracting shingles, an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Zostavax is an injectable medication that uses a weakened form of the herpes zoster virus in order to activate the patient’s immune system. After fighting the weakened version of the virus, the body increases its immune response to the virus and is then theoretically able to fight the actual zoster virus reducing the risk that shingles will reappear in individuals 50 years of age and older.

What Is The Shingles Virus?

Shingles (herpes zoster virus) is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After an individual has contracted chickenpox, the virus lays inactive for years in nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain. Once reactivated the virus reappears as the shingles virus, most commonly among adults over the age of 50. To contract shingles, an individual must have previously had chickenpox.

Symptoms of shingles include:

• Pain, burning, and numbness
• Sensitivity to touch
• Fever, fatigue, and headache
• A full body rash including fluid-filled blisters typically experienced on one side of the torso
• Itching and discomfort
• Joint Pain
• Muscle Pain
• Nausea

Zostavax Side Effects & Complications

When taking any vaccine, serious problems can occur including severe allergic reactions. Severe Zostavax side effects may include the following:

• Serious neurological disorders including Encephalitis
• Herpetic Neuralgia
• Postherpetic Neuralgia
• Blindness or vision problems
• Facial paralysis
• Hearing loss
• Stroke
• Cardiovascular problems
• Vasculitis
• Pneumonia
• Death

 Do I Have A Case?

If you or someone you know have received the Zostavax vaccine and have developed shingles we urge you to take action and contact our office immediately. By meeting the following criteria, you may be eligible to participate in a Zostavax lawsuit.

1. You received the Zostavax vaccine after 2006
2. You were clinically diagnosed with shingles
3. Shingles were contracted between 3 weeks to 12 months following a Zostavax vaccination

Additionally, individuals who received the Zostavax vaccine may be eligible to participate in a lawsuit if any of the above complications or injuries were experienced within 2 years of receiving the vaccine.

At the Kagan Law Firm, we specialize in defective medical drug and device cases and welcome the opportunity to help you recover compensation for damages incurred as a result of receiving the Zostavax vaccine. To discuss your case with an attorney, please contact our office directly at (239) 466-1161. Additionally, you may also fill out the form below and an attorney will contact you once your inquiry is received.

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