November 1, 2013
Another 379 childhood vaccination-induced hepatitis B patients and bereaved families on October 31 filed lawsuits with 14 district courts in Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other cities, demanding state compensation.
On the same day, a counsel of the nationwide lawsuits announced at a news conference in Sapporo City that the number of plaintiffs fighting similar lawsuits in courts across the nation now totals 10,582, and that 5,082 of them have arranged a settlement with the government.
Lawyer Sato Tetsuyuki, representative of the counsel, pointed out, “Given that the government estimated that more than 400,000 people were exposed to hepatitis B virus through mandatory vaccination programs at their schools, there exists the possibility of many more victims.”
Sato also said that the government should take the responsibility to encourage people who worry about hepatitis B infection to have a checkup and to inform hepatitis B victims of compensatory benefits they can receive in accordance with their medical conditions.
In order to receive the benefits, victims need to initiate action for damages against the state and achieve official certification as chronic hepatitis B sufferers caused by school vaccination program.
The benefit system was established based on a settlement agreed upon by plaintiffs of the previous hepatitis-B lawsuit and the government in 2011.
Past related article:
> Hepatitis-B plaintiffs sign settlement with gov’t [June 29, 2011]
On the same day, a counsel of the nationwide lawsuits announced at a news conference in Sapporo City that the number of plaintiffs fighting similar lawsuits in courts across the nation now totals 10,582, and that 5,082 of them have arranged a settlement with the government.
Lawyer Sato Tetsuyuki, representative of the counsel, pointed out, “Given that the government estimated that more than 400,000 people were exposed to hepatitis B virus through mandatory vaccination programs at their schools, there exists the possibility of many more victims.”
Sato also said that the government should take the responsibility to encourage people who worry about hepatitis B infection to have a checkup and to inform hepatitis B victims of compensatory benefits they can receive in accordance with their medical conditions.
In order to receive the benefits, victims need to initiate action for damages against the state and achieve official certification as chronic hepatitis B sufferers caused by school vaccination program.
The benefit system was established based on a settlement agreed upon by plaintiffs of the previous hepatitis-B lawsuit and the government in 2011.
Past related article:
> Hepatitis-B plaintiffs sign settlement with gov’t [June 29, 2011]
