What’s is Zostavax?
Manufactured by Merck & Co., the Zostavax shingles vaccine contains live attenuated varicella zoster virus, which can cause shingles. The drug works by exposing patients to a small dose of live virus, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. Zostavax is virtually the same as Merck’s chickenpox vaccine, except that the shingles vaccine is about 14 times stronger than the chickenpox version.
What’s the Problem?
Zostavax has only been found to lower the risk of shingles by about 51%, which is not very effective considering the potential health risks associated with the vaccine. The drug may even cause the very disease it is intended to prevent – shingles – as well as chickenpox. Lawsuits filed against Merck allege that consumers were not adequately warned of these risks prior to receiving the Zostavax shingles vaccination.
Zostavax Side Effects
- Shingles
- Chickenpox
- Injection site reactions (pain, redness, itching, swelling in the brain, warmth, bruising)
- Allergic reactions
- Vision damage / keratitis
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Joint and/or muscle pain
- Skin rash
- Death
- And more
Symptoms of Shingles
Shingles is a severe skin rash that tingles or burns at a single site on one side of the body. The rash typically appears after a few days after the vaccination and can last for up to a month. Shingles is mainly a disease of the elderly, but younger persons can get it. One out of every 5 people who get it subsequently develop nerve pain that can persist for months or even years.
How Common is Herpes Zoster?
An estimated 30% of people in the U.S. will develop herpes zoster at some time in their life, which translates into an about 1 million cases annually. The risk of shingles increases with age – about half of all cases occur in patients aged 60 years or older. People who are immunosuppressed or receive immunosuppressive drugs such as steroids and cancer chemotherapy are at greater risk of developing the condition.
Can I Participate in a Class Action?
Although Schmidt & Clark, LLP, is a nationally recognized class action firm, we have decided against the filing of a Zostavax Class Action Suit, and are currently only accepting potential individual complaints on behalf of people who were injured by the shingles vaccination. In this type of litigation, a class action lawsuit can force class members into a “low ball settlement” and higher attorney fees. Our lawyers understand that our clients are suffering emotionally and economically due to Zostavax side effects, and we plan to maximize each client’s recovery by filing individual suits on their behalf.
Do I Have a Zostavax Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Zostavax side effects lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new shingles vaccine injury cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you or a loved one was injured, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a lawsuit and we can help.