Vaccine Injuries: Rare, Real, and Often Underreported

Dr. Joshua Lamers
1d
4 min read

The Vaccine Debate - Part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

We’re often told vaccine injuries are "extremely rare" - maybe one in a million. What if that’s not the full story? What if injuries happen more frequently than reported, and most families never realize what caused them? What if the government quietly pays out billions of dollars to injured families, while shielding manufacturers from liability? What is the hidden side of vaccine reactions, how does the government handle injury claims through a special “vaccine court,” and why do so many cases never get reported at all? Silencing discussions around these questions is suspicious, especially when ignoring the facts can increase injury rates. So what are the facts?

Yes, Vaccine Injuries Are Real... The Government Admits

Since 1988, the U.S. has maintained the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) to financially assist families of those injured or killed by vaccines. This program was created after lawsuits in the 1970s and 1980s nearly drove vaccine makers out of the market.

To date, the program has:

Paid out over $4.6 billion in compensation
Handled over 36,000 injury petitions
Approved compensation in over 8,000 cases — many through settlement
Paid up to $250,000 for vaccine-related deaths

These aren’t conspiracy theories. These are official government records, and most Americans have never heard of this system.

What Counts as a Vaccine Injury?

The government has a “Vaccine Injury Table” that presumes certain side effects are caused by specific vaccines, including:

Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
Seizures and brain inflammation (encephalitis)
Vaccine-strain polio (from the old oral polio vaccine)
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a form of paralysis)
Intussusception (bowel blockage from rotavirus vaccine)
Death in rare cases

Outside of this list, parents must prove — often through years of litigation — that a vaccine likely caused their child’s condition. Even then, they cannot sue the pharmaceutical company directly. Claims are made against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, not the manufacturer.

Underreporting: The Dirty Secret of Vaccine Safety Monitoring

Most vaccine side effects are tracked through VAERS — the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. But here’s the issue: VAERS is a passive system. Anyone can report to it, but few do. A Harvard study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that less than 1% of vaccine adverse events are ever reported.

That means:

If 1 in 100,000 children has a severe reaction, only a tiny fraction will ever be counted.
Many pediatricians don’t report unless symptoms are immediate, dramatic, and clearly linked.
Parents often don’t realize that delayed reactions — like neurological issues or autoimmune flare-ups — might be vaccine-related.

If we only track the tip of the iceberg, how can we know the full risk?

Injury Stories You’ll Rarely Hear About

While public health campaigns focus on rare disease outbreaks, they rarely spotlight families dealing with vaccine injuries. Yet countless parents have reported:

Children who developed seizures within hours of a shot
Infants who lost developmental milestones days after vaccination
Toddlers who became nonverbal or regressed in behavior after routine visits
Adults with disabling autoimmune conditions following flu or COVID vaccines

These stories are often dismissed as “coincidence” — but the Vaccine Court has compensated many families for these exact scenarios.

Why the Public Isn’t Hearing This

There are several reasons vaccine injuries are under the radar:

Legal Gag Orders: Many injury settlements are confidential. Parents are paid to stay quiet.
Media Blackout: Mainstream outlets rarely cover injury cases unless there’s a massive lawsuit or protest.
Fear of “Anti-Vax” Labels: Doctors and parents alike are hesitant to speak out, even when they suspect harm, for fear of being branded anti-science.
No Liability = No Public Scrutiny: Since manufacturers can’t be sued, there’s little incentive to fully investigate long-term side effects.

Injuries Are Uncommon But Not a Myth

Yes, serious vaccine injuries are uncommon. But rare doesn’t mean non-existent, especially when you're the parent whose child was affected. And when dozens of doses are given in a child’s first few years, the cumulative risk deserves honest discussion. Imagine if you bought a car seat that injured 1 in 20,000 children — and the company could never be sued. Would you feel confident putting your baby in it?

What Can You Do as a Parent?

Ask for the full vaccine package insert, not just the summary handout.
Watch your child carefully for changes in behavior, mood, or physical symptoms after shots.
Report any side effects to VAERS yourself. Don’t assume your doctor will.
Research injury patterns on credible databases, but beware of both extremes — fearmongering and blind trust.

What's Next…

Part 4 will discuss how fear is used to push compliance, and how new parents are often pressured into vaccinating before they’ve had time to think critically or ask questions.

Has your child had a reaction after a vaccine? You're not alone — and you have options. Contact our clinic to schedule a consultation or learn more about your rights when it comes to vaccine injury and informed consent.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a licensed healthcare professional.

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