A total of 29 patients are plaintiffs in a Zostavax shingles lawsuit alleging they all became sick with the herpes zoster virus after being inoculated.

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., and the McKesson Corp. created Zostavax. In 2006, the FDA approved the vaccine to provide protection against shingles for the population of adults ages 50 and older. Shingles is a painful, persistent rash caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that causes chickenpox.

After a person contracts chickenpox, the herpes zoster virus retreats to the nerve tissues near the spinal cord and brain. Man years later, the virus potentially reactivates, causing shingles, a stinging rash that travels along the nerve fibers to the skin, usually on one side of the body. Those who filed the Zostavax shingles lawsuit say they were not warned.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims Zostavax reduces the risk of shingles by just 51 percent.

Zostavax Shingles Lawsuit Allegations

Plaintiffs describe their painful experiences fighting shingles after being vaccinated for the disease. Zostavax shingles lawsuit allegations include the following:

• John A. says he received the Zostavax vaccine in June 2007. In August 2016, he was diagnosed with severe herpes zoster (shingles) and prescribed Acyclovir to fight the outbreak and Oxycodone to manage the pain.
• Robert L. alleges he received the Zostavax vaccine in 2016 and by October 2016, he had developed shingles. His doctor gave him Acyclovir to combat the disease and Gabapentin for pain. In November 2016, he says he returned to his doctor who diagnosed him with severe neuropathy, a condition that causes some shingles victims to suffer from pain from shingles for months or years.
• Sherry T. said she received her Zostavax vaccine in April 2014. By August 2014, Sherry was treated for a severe case of herpes zoster (shingles). Her doctor prescribed Famciclovir to suppress the herpes zoster virus and Hydrocodone to manage the pain.

Many of these patients suffered a particularly virulent form of herpes zoster, more severe than seen in patients who do not receive the Zostavax vaccine, according to the Zostavax shingles lawsuit. They allegedly suffered painful injuries and damages, required extensive medical care and treatment, and in some cases, continue to suffer unexpected medical expenses along with ongoing pain and suffering.

Patients say they trusted the information they were provided regarding the Zostavax vaccine. The only side effect they expected was redness or itching at the injection site that was supposed to go away after a day or two. They allege they had no indication they could suffer from a severe case of the disease they were assured they were being inoculated against.

The time between the vaccine and the onset of shingles varies from several months to several years. According to the Zostavax shingles lawsuit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the vaccine loses its potency in the body within five years, and almost no remaining preventative effects are seen after seven years.

The Zostavax Shingles Lawsuit is Case No. BC715067, in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles.