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How VICP Vaccine Coverage Works
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, or VICP, currently covers certain vaccine categories and formulations for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, seasonal influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus, and varicella.
Coverage depends on the vaccine category and formulation, not simply the name used at a pharmacy or clinic. COVID-19 vaccines, shingles vaccines, pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines, and nonseasonal influenza vaccines are not currently covered by the VICP. A serious reaction after one of those products may fall under a different program or legal process.

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Hear Cheryl's Vaccine Injury Story
Cheryl, a former client of My Vaccine Lawyer, shares her experience with Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) following a flu shot. She describes the sudden onset of pain, limited shoulder mobility, and a long recovery process that led her to seek legal help from attorney Max Muller.
With his support, Cheryl filed a successful claim through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and received a settlement covering her medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. SIRVA symptoms typically include sudden pain within 48 hours of vaccination, restricted range of motion, and discomfort that can last for weeks or months.
Vaccines in the VICP
A vaccine category generally enters the VICP after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends it for routine administration to children or pregnant women, it becomes subject to the federal excise tax, and the required federal coverage action occurs. HRSA maintains the current covered-vaccine list. Product names and recommendations can change, so the exact vaccine and administration date should be checked.
Three distinctions matter:
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Covered vaccine versus covered injury. A vaccine may be covered even when the diagnosed condition is not listed on the Vaccine Injury Table.
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Table claim versus off-Table claim. A Table match can create a presumption of causation. An off-Table claim requires proof that the covered vaccine caused or significantly aggravated the injury.
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Vaccine category versus product formulation. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is covered, while pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is not. Seasonal influenza vaccine is covered, while nonseasonal pandemic influenza vaccine is not.
Adults can file VICP claims involving covered vaccines. Coverage is not limited to children merely because the program grew out of childhood-vaccine legislation.
The list below follows HRSA's current covered categories
The injury examples come from the Vaccine Injury Table effective for petitions filed on or after January 3, 2022. A condition is a Table injury only when the listed vaccine, onset period, and federal definition all match.
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Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis Vaccines
Combination products include DTaP, DTP, Tdap, DT, Td, and related formulations. Depending on the components, Table injuries can include anaphylaxis, brachial neuritis after tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines, encephalopathy or encephalitis after pertussis-containing vaccines, SIRVA, and vasovagal syncope. Timing and definitions vary by injury. Review the Tdap and DTaP vaccine guide and the Tdap and DTaP vaccine attorney page.
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Tetanus-Containing Vaccines
Tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines have a Table presumption for anaphylaxis within four hours, brachial neuritis from 2 through 28 days, SIRVA within 48 hours, and vasovagal syncope within one hour when the federal definitions are met. The tetanus vaccine guide explains the category, and the tetanus vaccine attorney page addresses claim evaluation.
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Haemophilus Influenzae Type b Vaccines
Hib conjugate vaccines are covered. The current Table lists SIRVA within 48 hours and vasovagal syncope within one hour. Other alleged injuries may be evaluated off-Table, but coverage of the vaccine does not prove that it caused the condition. See the Hib vaccine guide and the Hib vaccine attorney page.
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Hepatitis A Vaccines
Hepatitis A vaccines are covered by the VICP. The current Table lists SIRVA within 48 hours and vasovagal syncope within one hour. It does not list a broad presumption for neurologic or autoimmune conditions after hepatitis A vaccination. Those claims require individualized proof. Read the hepatitis A vaccine guide and the hepatitis A vaccine attorney page.
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Hepatitis B Vaccines
Hepatitis B vaccines are covered. The current Table lists anaphylaxis within four hours, SIRVA within 48 hours, and vasovagal syncope within one hour. A different diagnosis can still be considered off-Table when reliable medical and expert evidence supports causation. Review the hepatitis B vaccine guide and the hepatitis B vaccine attorney page.
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Human Papillomavirus Vaccines
HPV vaccines are covered. The current Table lists anaphylaxis within four hours, SIRVA within 48 hours, and vasovagal syncope within one hour. Conditions such as CRPS, autoimmune disease, or neurologic disorders are not automatically presumed merely because they began after vaccination. See the HPV vaccine guide and the HPV vaccine attorney page.
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Seasonal Influenza Vaccines
Seasonal influenza vaccines are covered for children and adults, including products licensed only for adults. The Table lists anaphylaxis within four hours, SIRVA within 48 hours, vasovagal syncope within one hour, and Guillain-Barre syndrome from 3 through 42 days. Nonseasonal pandemic flu vaccines are not VICP-covered. Visit the flu vaccine guide and the flu vaccine attorney page.
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Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccines
MMR, MMRV, and covered component vaccines can involve several Table provisions. These include anaphylaxis, encephalopathy or encephalitis from 5 through 15 days, SIRVA, vasovagal syncope, chronic arthritis after a rubella-containing vaccine, thrombocytopenic purpura after a measles-containing vaccine, and defined vaccine-strain measles disease. Read the MMR vaccine guide and the MMR vaccine attorney page.
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Meningococcal Vaccines
Meningococcal vaccines covered under HRSA's current guidance are included in the VICP. The Table lists anaphylaxis within four hours, SIRVA within 48 hours, and vasovagal syncope within one hour. Other conditions require off-Table proof. Review the meningitis vaccine guide and the meningitis vaccine attorney page.
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Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, or PCVs, are covered. The current Table lists SIRVA within 48 hours and vasovagal syncope within one hour. The exact product matters because pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are excluded from the VICP. See the PCV vaccine guide and the PCV vaccine attorney page.
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Pneumococcal Vaccine Coverage by Type
The term pneumococcal vaccine does not identify whether the dose was a covered conjugate vaccine or a noncovered polysaccharide vaccine. The administration record should show the product and formulation. The pneumococcal vaccine guide and pneumococcal vaccine attorney page provide the next level of review.
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Is the Pneumonia Shot Covered by the VICP?
Pneumonia shot is an informal label, not a legal category. A PCV product may be covered; a PPSV product is not currently covered by the VICP. Do not decide eligibility from the everyday name alone. Check the pneumonia vaccine guide and the pneumonia vaccine attorney page after confirming the product.
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Polio Vaccines
Both oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine appear in the Table, although oral polio vaccine is no longer used routinely in the United States. OPV provisions address paralytic polio and vaccine-strain infection. IPV provisions include anaphylaxis, SIRVA, and vasovagal syncope. Review the polio vaccine guide and the polio vaccine attorney page.
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Rotavirus Vaccines
Rotavirus vaccines are covered. Intussusception is the listed Table injury when onset occurs from 1 through 21 days and the federal definition is met. The Table excludes onset with or after the third dose and includes other exclusions tied to infection, anatomy, and underlying conditions. Read the rotavirus vaccine guide and the rotavirus vaccine attorney page.
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Varicella Vaccines
Varicella, or chickenpox, vaccines are covered. Table injuries include anaphylaxis, defined disseminated vaccine-strain varicella disease, vaccine-strain viral reactivation, SIRVA, and vasovagal syncope. Strain testing and timing can be decisive for viral-disease claims. See the chickenpox vaccine guide and the varicella vaccine attorney page.
Vaccines Not Currently Covered by the VICP
Not every vaccine authorized or recommended in the United States belongs to the VICP. Current examples outside the program include:
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COVID-19 vaccines, which HRSA currently routes to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program.
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Shingles vaccines, including Shingrix.
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Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines, often identified as PPSV or PPV.
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Nonseasonal influenza vaccines used for pandemics or other special circumstances.
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Other vaccines that do not appear on HRSA's current covered list, such as rabies, yellow fever, anthrax, and smallpox vaccines.
The correct program can depend on the product, date, and reason it was administered. Review the guide to vaccines not covered by the VICP before assuming that no remedy exists.
Covered Vaccine Does Not Mean Automatic Compensation
A covered vaccine satisfies only the first part of a claim. The petitioner must still show a qualifying injury or death, meet the severity requirement, file on time, and provide the proof required for a Table or off-Table claim. The vaccine injury hub explains the listed and unlisted injury paths.
For most injury claims, the condition or its effects must last more than six months after vaccination, require inpatient hospitalization and surgical intervention, or result in death. Table status does not remove this requirement.
Most injury petitions must be filed within three years after the first symptom or manifestation of significant aggravation. Death claims follow a different rule. The diagnosis date is not necessarily the date that starts the clock, so the VICP filing deadline should be checked early.
How to Identify Which Vaccine You Received
Coverage analysis starts with the administration record. Useful details include:
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Vaccine name and manufacturer.
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Product formulation and brand name.
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Date, dose, lot number, and route of administration.
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Injection site and arm, when relevant.
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The Vaccine Information Statement provided at the appointment.
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Pharmacy, clinic, military, school, or state immunization records.
If the record says only pneumonia shot, flu shot, or meningitis shot, request the product details. Those labels may not answer the legal coverage question.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Can adults file claims for VICP-covered vaccines?
Yes. Adults may file claims involving covered vaccines when the remaining legal requirements are met. Seasonal influenza claims are a common example.
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Is a vaccine covered when it was given off-label?
It can be. HRSA states that a Table presumption can apply even when a covered vaccine was administered off-label or contrary to CDC or ACIP recommendations, provided the Table requirements are otherwise met.
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Does an injury have to appear on the Vaccine Injury Table?
No. A condition that is not listed, is paired with a different vaccine, or falls outside the listed onset window may still be pursued as an off-Table claim with proof of actual causation.
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Is every pneumonia vaccine covered?
No. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are covered. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are not currently covered by the VICP.
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Are COVID-19 vaccine injuries part of the VICP?
Not currently. HRSA directs COVID-19 vaccine claims to the CICP. That program has different deadlines, benefits, proof rules, and attorney-fee provisions.
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Does a covered vaccine guarantee compensation?
No. The claimant must still prove a qualifying injury or death, satisfy the severity and filing requirements, and meet the Table or off-Table standard.
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Get the vaccine and claim path checked
A careful review begins with the exact product, vaccination date, first symptom, diagnosis, treatment, duration, and medical history. My Vaccine Lawyer can review whether the vaccine was covered, whether the claim may fit the Table, and what evidence or deadline issues may need attention.
The case evaluation is free. No lawyer can promise compensation before reviewing the medical and legal record.
- HRSA, Covered Vaccines
- HRSA, Vaccine Injury Table effective for petitions filed on or after January 3, 2022
- HRSA, VICP Frequently Asked Questions
- HRSA, Who Is Eligible to File a VICP Petition
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 42 C.F.R. § 100.3
- 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-11, Petitions for Compensation
- 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-16, Limitations of Actions
- HRSA, Comparison of the CICP and VICP
The Legal Process for Vaccine Injury Cases
Vaccine injury cases follow a unique legal process. Since these claims are handled under the VICP, they require an attorney with experience in federal vaccine litigation. At My Vaccine Lawyer, we start with a free consultation to assess your claim. We then gather medical records, expert testimony, and supporting evidence to build a strong case. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we are prepared to take your case to trial.
1. Contact Your Doctor
If you suffered a vaccine-related injury, adverse effects or worsening symptoms, call your doctor immediately.
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