Hi all,

I'm looking for some help with a Vaccine Damage Payment appeal, something I've never had much experience of before. Similar to Ind. Inj. Benefit, with a percentage disablement assessment, but the disablement must be assessed at at least %60, and come as a result of a vaccination against one the prescribed diseases.

Does anyone have any experience of dealing with this type of appeal, or know of an organisation who may specialise in this type of area? Particularly in relation to disablement arising from polio vaccination. The actual appeal aspects of the case I'm fine with, as it is relatively similar to IIB, but I am in the dark as to the likely symptoms and conditions arising from an adverse reaction to polio vaccination.

Also can anyone direct me to an online version of the Medical Assessment Framework and/or the Severe Disablement Handbook?

Thanks to any who can help.

Take a look at the website for "Justice Awareness and Basic Support" (JABS) at http://www.jabs.org.uk/ The most likely adverse reaction to polio vaccination or close contact with a recently vaccinated person is that the person gets polio - it used to be called infantile paralysis.

maf available via toolkit @

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/cgi-bin/publisher/search.cgi?dir=swopshop&output_number=1&template=toolkit.html&ID=1448-7103-648#Medical_issues

I've only ever done one of these appeals and that was more than ten years ago, hope this will still be useful!
I asked for copies of the health visitor's notes of the baby's routine clinic visits and copies of the developmental checks that are carried out at set intervals. These pointed up certain changes in the baby's progress and tied them in to vaccinations in terms of time.

It might also be worth reading the consultation paper on proposed changes to the 1979 Vaccine Damage Payment Act which was issued in 2001, as it explains some of the history and background to the Scheme and why changes to the scheme were required. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/consult/2001/amvac/amvac.pdf The document states that other symptoms of vaccine damage could be muscle spasticity, difficulty with manual dexterity and walking due to involuntary movements, impaired communication skills, severe mental illness and behavioural problems.