Federal and state courts have received lawsuits regarding Zostavax shingles shot reactions alleging that the shot causes serious adverse side effects and complications.

Merck & Co., Inc. and another named defendant are currently facing a lawsuit filed by a couple alleging just that–that the Zostavax vaccine causes shingles shot reactions and other side effects.

Plaintiffs Celeste and Floyd J. filed the shingles shot reactions lawsuit in Florida federal court demanding a jury trial. The lawsuit was filed on March 27, 2018.

According to the lawsuit, Celeste, a resident and citizen of the state of Florida, received a Zostavax vaccine on Oct. 17, 2014, at a CVS pharmacy. She was given the vaccine to help prevent herpes zoster. However shortly after receiving the vaccine, she says that she contracted “an intermittent, sharp throbbing pain on the left side of her face.” She was then diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia.

Celeste says that because of receiving the Zostavax vaccine she suffered extensive painful injuries and damages. She has also suffered and will continue to suffer from pain and suffering including significant medical expenses.

The shingles shot reactions lawsuit was filed on multiple counts including negligence, design defect, failure to warn, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and loss of consortium.

Shingles Shot Reactions

A number of adverse side effects have been linked to the Zostavax shingles vaccine, which contains a live virus allegedly too strong for specific individuals. According to reports, possible shingles shot reactions side effects may include:

• Shingles after vaccine
• Myelitis (spinal cord inflammation)
• Postherpetic neuralgia (pain after shingles blisters pass)
• Vision problems (eye infections; retinal damage; blindness)
• Hearing loss
• Autoimmune disorders (Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating, Meniere’s Disease, Polyneuropathy)
• Cardiovascular event
• Stroke
• Pneumonia
• Congestive heart failure
• Bell’s Palsy (facial paralysis)
• Vasculitis
• Serious neurological disease/disorder

Although these are some of the reported side effects linked to the Zostavax shingles vaccine, there have been some additional side effects being reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some additional side effects have even included paralysis, brain damage, and death.

As a result, the FDA was prompted to issue a black box warning, the strictest warning put in the labeling of prescription drugs or drug products by the FDA, to Zostavax labels. Some other complications that were also reported through the FDA’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) include rashes, myalgia, anaphylactic reactions, necrotizing retinitis, and gastrointestinal disorders.

The Zostavax shingles vaccine helps prevent people over the age of 50 from developing shingles. What the vaccine is made up of is a weakened chickenpox virus that helps the immune system fight off any development of shingles. A dormant chickenpox virus is thought to cause the development of shingles. However, other reported side effects linked to the vaccine have also included nausea, muscle pain, joint pain, fever, and headaches.

Lawsuits currently being filed against the manufacturer accuse them of failing to properly advise the public of adverse side effects and complications, including the development of shingles.

The Shingles Shot Reactions Lawsuit is Case No. 5:18-cv-00144-JSM-PRL, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.