'It's vindicating': B.C. man to receive compensation for COVID-19 vaccine injury
Ross Wightman is walking again.
But the 40-year-old B.C. resident now needs special braces for his legs.
“I have basically no muscle or nerve movement or activity below my knees at this point,” he said. His hands also have nerve damage.
“Both hands… they’re curled in,” he explained during an interview with CTV News. “That makes doing pretty much everything a challenge,” added the 40-year-old former pilot and realtor from Lake Country.
“I’m constantly dropping things on the floor. Phones, cutlery, you name it, I drop it.”
More than a year after becoming partially paralyzed following his COVID-19 vaccine, Wightman has become one of the first in the country to be approved for compensation through the federal Vaccine Injury Support Program.
“It’s vindicating. That’s kind of the first thought that came to mind,” he said.
Wightman developed a rare, neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in April of 2021.
“My world got flipped upside down,” he said.
The most recent available data from the BC Centre for Disease Control, indicates 10 people have been hospitalized with GBS after a COVID-19 vaccine between the start of the vaccine program in 2020 and March of 2022. All have been released from hospital.
“I had full facial paralysis. I couldn’t smile, show my teeth or anything like that. I could barely close one of my eyes,” Wightman said.
“I had no leg function. I was paralyzed from the waist down,” he said.
Wightman spent a total of 67 days in hospital.
Langley’s Shawn Muldoon developed serious blood clots after getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.
He is still not able to work and still waiting for compensation.
“I’m a bit baffled by it, to be honest,” said Muldoon. “I feel like I’m past the frustrated stage. I just don’t know what’s happening with the process anymore.”
'IMMENSE' MENTAL IMPACT ON ENTIRE FAMILY
Wightman did not disclose the exact dollar amount he received from the compensation program but did say it was not the maximum which he said is set at $248,000.
“We’re kind of somewhere in the middle of what’s being offered,” he said.
He also said he is eligible for income replacement.
It’s been a difficult time for his entire family, including his wife who has had to take on a much greater workload, he explained.
“The mental impact on immediate family members is just immense. You can’t really measure that,” Wightman said.
While he’s relieved to be getting funding, he said the real victory will be seeing improvements in his health.
“I’ve got a long road to go, but I’ve got a lot of support with my wife and family and we’re all up to the challenge.”
Four-hundred people have put in vaccine injury claims in Canada. Less than five have been approved according to data from the Vaccine Injury Support Program which hasn’t been updated since November 30, 2021.
In email to CTV News, Health Canada said it, along with the Public Health Agency of Canada “…continues to advise that the benefits of vaccination with a vaccine approved in Canada outweigh the potential risk of disease.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Israel vows military operation 'in the very near future' following Hamas attack
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.