General filing deadlines
Injury petitions generally must be filed within three years after the first symptom or manifestation of onset, or significant aggravation, of the injury.
Death petitions generally must be filed within two years after death and within four years after the first symptom or manifestation of onset, or significant aggravation, of the injury from which death resulted.
Limited exceptions may apply. These general rules cannot calculate the deadline for your situation. Have the relevant dates reviewed promptly; do not assume the deadline runs from the day you received a diagnosis.
Contacting the office does not file a petition, pause a deadline, or mean that the office is protecting your filing date. Do not wait for a reply if a deadline may be approaching.
How attorneys’ fees and costs are handled
The VICP provides for reasonable attorneys’ fees and legal costs, subject to the court’s requirements and approval. Fees can sometimes be awarded even when compensation is not awarded if the petition was brought in good faith and had a reasonable basis.
Attorneys may not charge an additional or contingency fee for representation in the VICP.
This is not a promise that every case will receive a fee award or that every expense will be covered. Discuss the written terms of any representation, fees, and costs with the office before proceeding.
Information that may help a review
Keep original records. For an initial inquiry, give a brief account rather than sending a complete medical file. The office can explain which records may be needed and how to provide them.
- Vaccination record, including date, product, and provider.
- A simple timeline of symptoms and medical visits.
- Relevant medical records from before and after vaccination.
- Treatments, prescriptions, imaging, and diagnoses.
- The effect on daily activities, work, or care needs.
If you are writing for someone else
Use your own contact details and explain your relationship to the person affected. The office can discuss who may act for that person and any authorization or documentation that may be required.
An initial inquiry can express uncertainty. It is a request to discuss the situation, not a diagnosis, a filed claim, or a determination of eligibility.
Sources & references
Program information checked against the official sources below on September 21, 2026.
General information, not legal or medical advice. Symptoms after vaccination do not by themselves establish causation or eligibility. Contacting the office does not file a claim or extend a deadline.