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How spinal cord inflammation cases are reviewed in federal vaccine injury claims.
My Vaccine Lawyer represents individuals diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) after a flu shot and other vaccinations. This neurological disorder involves inflammation of the spinal cord and may qualify as a vaccine injury under the National Vaccine Injury Program when medical evidence supports the claim.
Transverse Myelitis cases are evaluated individually. Because this condition affects the central nervous system and is not listed on the Vaccine Injury Table, claims are typically filed as off-table cases in the United States Court of Federal Claims. Our legal team reviews medical history, diagnostic records such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and physician documentation to determine whether a vaccine injury claim can be pursued.
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Not every diagnosis of TM following vaccination meets the standard required to file a vaccine injury claim. These cases are evaluated based on whether the medical record establishes a clear sequence of events that connects vaccination to spinal cord inflammation.
In practice, this means looking at how the condition was documented from the first medical visit onward, not just the final diagnosis.
When reviewing a potential claim, we examine:
• The timing reflected in medical records — whether the first documented neurological concerns appear within a timeframe that physicians consider medically plausible after a flu shot
• How the diagnosis was reached — including whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurological evaluation were used to confirm inflammation of the spinal cord
• Whether the records remain consistent across providers — for example, emergency care, hospital admission notes, and specialist evaluations describing the same underlying condition without contradiction
• The level of medical intervention required — such as inpatient care, steroid treatment, plasma exchange therapy, or ongoing rehabilitative therapy documented in the record
• Whether alternative explanations were evaluated — including infection, multiple sclerosis, or other neurological disorders noted in the patient’s medical history
• Physician-supported conclusions — where treating doctors address whether the condition aligns with an immune-mediated response following vaccination
For a clinical overview of how physicians evaluate Transverse Myelitis, see the Cleveland Clinic's symptoms and causes of TM .
Because these claims are reviewed individually in federal claims proceedings, the outcome depends on how clearly the medical evidence supports both timing and causation, not simply the presence of a diagnosis.
How Transverse Myelitis Claims Differ from Other Neurological Vaccine Injury Claims
Transverse Myelitis is not the only neurological condition associated with vaccine injury claims. However, how a claim is evaluated and how compensation is determined, differs significantly depending on the diagnosis involved.
One of the most commonly compared conditions is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).
• Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)
GBS is listed on the Vaccine Injury Table for influenza vaccines. When symptoms begin within the recognized timeframe, the National Vaccine Injury Program may presume the vaccine caused the injury. This can reduce the burden of proof required to move a claim forward.
• Transverse Myelitis
Transverse Myelitis is not listed on the Vaccine Injury Table. Claims are typically filed as off-table cases, which means the claimant must present medical evidence showing that vaccination caused or contributed to spinal cord inflammation. There is no automatic presumption.
What's the difference between on table and off table vaccine injuries?
Other neurological conditions may also appear in vaccine injury claims, but are evaluated differently:
• Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) — may be considered in vaccine-related cases but, like Transverse Myelitis, typically requires individual proof rather than presumption
• Neurological complications linked to infections or immune responses — may be raised in federal claims but require clear differentiation from vaccine-related injury
Because these conditions are evaluated under different legal standards, the diagnosis directly impacts how a claim is filed, the evidence required, and the likelihood of compensation.
When Transverse Myelitis develops after a flu shot or other vaccination, individuals may pursue compensation through the National Vaccine Injury Program if the claim is supported by medical evidence and meets federal requirements.
Because this condition involves inflammation of the spinal cord and can affect mobility, independence, and daily function, compensation is based on how the injury impacts the body over time, not just the diagnosis itself.
Compensation in Transverse Myelitis vaccine injury claims may include:
• Medical bills related to hospitalization, diagnostic testing such as MRI, medications, and ongoing treatment
• Costs of physical therapy and rehabilitative therapy to address muscle weakness, mobility limitations, or partial recovery
• Pain management and supportive care when chronic pain, nerve involvement, or long-term complications affect the nervous system
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity when patients are unable to return to work due to long term disability
• Future care needs for continued treatment, assistive support, or complications involving the central nervous system
• Pain and suffering, capped at $250,000 under federal vaccine injury law
• Legal fees and case costs, which are covered separately by the program when a claim qualifies
In more severe cases, Transverse Myelitis can result in lasting impairment affecting the legs, arms, or overall function of the body, which may increase the value of a claim depending on the level of documented disability.
Transverse Myelitis claims are evaluated individually, but My Vaccine Lawyer has represented clients who developed spinal cord inflammation following vaccination and pursued compensation through the federal vaccine injury program.
Recent recoveries include:
$140,000 – Transverse Myelitis following vaccination
A child was admitted to the emergency room approximately two weeks after vaccination with weakness affecting one side of the body. Medical evaluation, including diagnostic testing, led to a diagnosis of Transverse Myelitis. Although the condition improved, the client continued to experience weakness and difficulty walking, affecting normal function.
$140,000 – Transverse Myelitis following vaccination
A woman developed neurological symptoms several weeks after vaccination and required hospitalization. After diagnostic evaluation, including imaging and physician assessment, she was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis. Although she was able to return to work, the injury affected her ability to perform her duties and required ongoing management.
See more notable settlements with My Vaccine Lawyer.
Because these claims are reviewed as federal claims and depend on timing, diagnosis, and supporting medical evidence, outcomes can vary. Individuals diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis after a flu shot or other vaccination may benefit from having their case reviewed by a legal team experienced in neurological vaccine injury claims.
These cases show that neurological vaccine injury claims can lead to significant financial recovery. Because settlement values vary based on the severity of the injury and supporting medical evidence, individuals diagnosed with TM after a flu shot benefit from scheduling a consultation with My Vaccine Lawyer.
Because Transverse Myelitis is not listed on the Vaccine Injury Table, claims rely on detailed medical evidence. During a consultation, we focus on key questions that help determine whether the condition can support a vaccine injury claim.
When did you receive the vaccine?
The vaccination date establishes the starting point for evaluating whether Transverse Myelitis developed within a medically reasonable timeframe.
How soon after vaccination were you treated or evaluated?
For acute TM, early medical visits, such as emergency room or hospital records, help establish when spinal cord inflammation was first documented.
When were you diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis?
We review physician records and diagnostic testing, including MRI, to confirm the diagnosis and how it was established.
What treatment did you receive?
Hospitalization, steroid treatment, plasma exchange therapy, and physical or rehabilitative therapy help demonstrate the severity of the condition and its impact on the nervous system.
Were other causes ruled out?
Medical records may show whether physicians evaluated infectious diseases, multiple sclerosis, or other neurological disorders before confirming Transverse Myelitis.
How has the condition affected your body or ability to work?
Documentation of limitations, such as weakness, mobility issues, or bowel dysfunction, helps establish long term disability and overall impact.
Reviewing these details allows our legal team to determine whether the timeline, diagnosis, and medical evidence support a Transverse Myelitis vaccine injury claim.
Why you need a vaccine injury lawyer for your claim.
If you or a family member were diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis after a flu shot or other vaccination, a consultation will help determine whether your situation meets the requirements for a vaccine injury claim.
My Vaccine Lawyer reviews medical records, vaccination timelines, diagnostic findings such as MRI, and physician documentation to assess whether the evidence supports filing a claim through the National Vaccine Injury Program.
Tel: (800) 229-7704
Email: info@myvaccinelawyer.com
Yes, but it must be proven. Because Transverse Myelitis is not on the Vaccine Injury Table, you must show it developed after vaccination and is not better explained by infectious diseases or another neurological disorder.
By showing a clear timeline, confirmed diagnosis (often with MRI), and medical records that rule out other causes. Most claims rely on physician-supported opinions linking the condition to vaccination.
Compensation can include medical bills, physical therapy, rehabilitative therapy, lost income, and future care. Pain and suffering is capped at $250,000. All amounts must be supported by documentation.
They must appear consistently in medical records and align with diagnostic findings. The claim relies on how symptoms are documented, not self-reported.
It can. Acute TM (rapid onset) may support a stronger timeline if symptoms appear soon after vaccination, but each case is evaluated individually.
Yes. Claims have been filed involving other vaccines, including viral vaccines, but each case must still meet the same legal standard of proof.
Yes. Medical records must show that infectious diseases or other causes were considered and do not better explain the condition.
Yes. If Transverse Myelitis leads to complications such as bowel dysfunction or long term disability, those effects can increase the value of a vaccine injury claim, but only when they are clearly documented in medical records and supported by treatment history.
The Court evaluates how the condition affects daily function, independence, and ongoing care needs when determining compensation.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has paid out more than $5 billion to individuals and families affected by vaccine injuries in the United States.
This includes a wide range of claims involving neurological injuries, including rare cases like Transverse Myelitis. Compensation is awarded based on medical evidence, documented impact, and the specific circumstances of each case, not as a standard payout.
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Paul Brazil is a native of Dunmore, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Dunmore High School. For his undergraduate education, he attended Bloomsburg University where he majored in political science. He then went on to earn his JD from Widener University School of Law. Following graduation from law school, Mr. Brazil worked at a large Philadelphia civil defense firm where he litigated workers’ compensation claims and Heart and Lung Act cases. In 2012, he joined with his coworker Max Muller to form Muller Brazil.
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