In a landmark ruling, a Greek court has, for the first time, awarded financial compensation to a citizen who suffered a serious adverse reaction following vaccination with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. TGreek court awards damages for AstraZeneca Vaccine side effect, a legal first. The decision is seen as a significant legal development with potential implications for future claims.
On Monday, April 28, the Administrative Court of First Instance in Athens ordered the Greek State to pay €50,000 in damages to a 40-year-old man who developed thrombosis after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. The vaccination had been part of the state’s mandatory COVID-19 immunization program.
The man filed the lawsuit on July 22, 2022, arguing that his health had been severely affected due to the vaccine, and that the government had failed in its duty to adequately ensure the safety of the vaccines administered under its public health policies. The court delivered its verdict on April 17, 2025.
In its judgment, the court acknowledged a direct causal link between the vaccine and the onset of thrombosis. It further concluded that the damage sustained by the plaintiff was beyond the acceptable threshold of risk that the state may expect citizens to bear for the collective benefit of society. The decision cited Article 25(4) of the Greek Constitution, which outlines the principles of social solidarity and the protection of individual rights in the context of public health measures.
“The occurrence of serious side effects from a vaccine—especially one developed and distributed during an unprecedented global health crisis—constitutes a specific and substantial harm,” the ruling stated. “Such harm surpasses the limits of what citizens may reasonably be expected to endure in the name of public interest.”
Legal experts suggest this judgment may set a precedent for similar cases in Greece, echoing developments in other European countries where courts have begun recognizing vaccine-related claims and awarding state compensation in exceptional circumstances.
While this ruling does not question the overall safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, it highlights the legal obligations of the state in cases where adverse effects do occur and individual health is compromised.
