A new lawsuit involves plaintiff Yvette T. who is adding her claim to the MDL against Merck, the manufacturer of the Zostavax vaccine. She argues that the company is responsible for failing to warn about the possibility of developing shingles after vaccine inoculation.

The Zostavax vaccine is intended to protect people at high risk for developing shingles by decreasing their chances of developing this medical condition. However, a growing number of lawsuits argue that patients have developed shingles after vaccine inoculation.

The vaccine is marketed as effective and safe, despite the fact that numerous patients have reported significant side effects, such as eye problems or even the development of shingles itself.

The plaintiff in this Zostavax lawsuit is currently a resident of Florida but was a resident of Georgia during the time that she received the vaccine. She argues in her lawsuit that on Feb. 15, 2017, she was inoculated with the Zostavax vaccine for the purpose of preventing shingles.

However, the patient says she began to experience problems shortly after getting the shot. She alleges she suffered long lasting shingles which ultimately required her to be hospitalized.

At that point in time, the plaintiff alleges she was diagnosed with right carotid stenosis, rash with super imposed infection, and herpes zoster. Shortly after the vaccine was given to her, the plaintiff says she sustained a myocardial infarction.

The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff’s symptoms have led to physical limitations that were not present in her life prior to getting the Zostavax vaccine. The lawsuit argues that she should be entitled to compensation because of the progressive, incurable, permanent, and serious injuries she sustained in addition to her pain and suffering.

The risk of developing shingles is present particularly for elderly people. Many of these elderly individuals who have taken the precautionary step of getting the Zostavax vaccine have later reported developing side effects. The risk of developing shingles gets higher as a person gets older.

The CDC recommends that patients aged 60 years or older should get the shingles vaccine whether or not they recall ever having had chicken pox.

A study, shared by the FDA with regard to the effectiveness of Zostavax, reportedly showed that approximately 38,000 individuals were enrolled, aged 60 and older, in the United States. Half of those people received the Zostavax vaccine and the other half received a placebo. The study participants were then followed for approximately three years to determine whether or not they had developed shingles.

The conclusion of the studies identified that the vaccine helped to reduce the occurrence of shingles by approximately 50 percent. However, more patients are arguing that the risk of shingles is quite high and that getting the vaccine actually increases their risk factors significantly.

The Shingles After Vaccine Lawsuit is Case No. 2:19-cv-00829-HB, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.