AstraZeneca Causes Doctor’s Death | Vaccine Damage Solicitors
Dr Stephen Wright was only 32 when he died due to a rare reaction after the first round of AstraZeneca vaccinations. Before his death, he was working as an NHS clinical psychologist and frontline health worker. After the vaccination, Dr Wright suffered from vaccine damage in the form of a brainstem infarction, a bleed on the brain and vaccine-induced thrombosis, dying only ten days after administration.
News of Dr Wright’s death comes at a time when dozens of patients and families are launching legal action against AstraZeneca due to its rate of side effects.
Investigations into the AstraZeneca Vaccine
Following the deaths and severe reactions from a small group of people to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) undertook an investigation to find out what was causing the reactions. Additionally, patient information for the AstraZeneca vaccine was updated in 2021 and continues to monitor the effects of the vaccines.
Dr Stephen Wright’s Rapid Symptoms
Dr Stephen Wright awoke on the 25th of January with a headache. This later developed into numbness. Consequently, he attended the A&E department at Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, Kent. Here he was found to have high blood pressure and sagittal sinus thrombosis.
He was soon after moved to King’s College Hospital, where his condition quickly worsened. However, due to the extent of the bleeding and very low platelets, he was considered unfit for surgery.
Soon after, Dr Wright passed away.
Seeking Vaccine Damage Solicitors for Covid Vaccine Complications
Following the inquest, Wright’s widow, Charlotte Wright, said she is considering legal action against AstraZeneca and the government. She remembers Wright as “the most amazing husband” and a good father to their sons.
Medical experts informed the court that nothing could be done to save Wright. Consultant neurosurgeon Francesco Vergani said that platelets provide the body’s first response to try to stop bleeding and are important for clotting. This means that when they are critically low there is no way of safely performing a successful operation.
After the inquest, Mrs Wright, said: “It was made clear that Stephen was [previously] fit and healthy and that his death was by vaccination of AstraZeneca. For us, it allows us to be able to continue our litigation against AstraZeneca. This is the written proof.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World at One, Mrs Wright agreed that some people had not been prepared to listen to her about how her husband had died. She said: “Even with people in my life, there were questions and queries about whether I was actually telling the truth so, two years later, I can finally say it is the truth.”
Speaking about the coroner’s ruling, Mrs Wright said: “It provides relief, but it doesn’t provide closure. I think we’re only going to get that when we have an answer from AstraZeneca and the government.”
Ensuring Patient Saftey
Dr Mark Howard, a consultant pathologist and medical examiner at King’s College Hospital, said scientists and medical experts were not aware of the vaccine’s possible deadly side effects early in the rollout. However, even in later stages, there would have been no way of predicting this “rare and unintended consequence.”
He adds, “Stephen was a very fit, young, and healthy man in January 2021. It is a truly tragic and very rare complication of a well-meant vaccination. It’s not fully understood why this happens. It’s an idiosyncratic reaction. The circumstances arise in a very small number of people.”
An AstraZeneca spokesperson states: “We are very saddened by Stephen Wright’s death and extend our deepest sympathies to his family for their loss. Patient safety is our highest priority and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.”
Making a Vaccine Damage Claim
Mrs Wright, states that she was on maternity leave when her husband died. She adds, that before she received £120,000 from the government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) in August, she had used food banks to help support her children.
Numerous individuals have received the vaccine without experiencing any complications. Nevertheless, in 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency validated a potential connection between the vaccine, named Vaxzevria, and an uncommon ailment characterized by blood clots and abnormally low platelet levels. Those who are pursuing legal recourse have been diagnosed with vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia.
So far, the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme has paid out up to £120,000 in for individual claims. However, up until the 21st of March, only 63 out of 4,178 claims received by the VDPS had led to payments.
To be eligible for the Vaccine Damage Payment, applicants must prove severe disablement. As it stands, 1,031 claims have already been rejected where causation was not accepted. Of these 1,031 claims, 71 claims have been rejected where causation was accepted but disablement was assessed at less than 60%.
The Government scheme for anyone with a disability above 60% is not widely publicised, resulting in many unsuccessful claims. Our team are dealing with a number of queries from people who have suffered a disability of more than 60% and have required assistance in bringing their claims under the scheme. AWH can offer support in relation to medical terminology and can increase the cases’ success by investigating medical records to see if there are any further aspects of your treatment which have made your condition worse.
You can read more about the first successful vaccine damage payment here.
Commonly Awarded Vaccine Damage Claims
The conditions of the 63 claims that were awarded for Vaccine Damage Payment as of March 2023 are:
- VITT/Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (33 people)
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome (14 people)
- Other (including Bilateral sequential optic neuropathy, Vaccine-induced
vasculitis, Severe bleeding on the brain, bacterial pneumonia, immune
response to the vaccine, inflammation of lungs, Cause of death – acute
allergic reaction, multiple organ failure, subarachnoid haemorrhage,
pneumonia, death - Multiple blood clots throughout the body, Neuromyelitis optica and
transverse myelitis, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Mental
health affected) (16 people) - 26 of the awarded claims were made on behalf of someone who has died.
Are Vaccine Damage Claims on a No Win No Fee Basis?
At AWH we offer medical negligence compensation claims on a no-win, no-fee basis.
If you believe that you have been the victim of vaccine damage, we advise you to get in touch. Our medical negligence solicitors are here to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Get in touch
