Important: VAERS reports alone cannot determine if a vaccine caused an adverse event. Reports may contain incomplete, inaccurate, or unverified information. Correlation does not equal causation.
Vaccines, like all medical interventions, carry a small risk of adverse reactions. This page covers what VAERS data shows about serious adverse events, how the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program works, and how to interpret injury data.
Vaccine injuries are real but rare. Acknowledging this reality — while providing accurate context about how rare they are — is essential for maintaining public trust in vaccination programs. This page covers the data, the compensation system, and how to interpret injury reports responsibly.
A vaccine injury is a health problem that is caused or significantly worsened by a vaccine. It's important to distinguish between:
VAERS captures adverse events — not confirmed vaccine injuries. The difference matters enormously for interpreting the data. For a fuller explanation of how adverse events are defined, reported, and analyzed, see our guide to vaccine adverse events.
While rare, some adverse events have been established as genuine vaccine injuries through scientific research:
The U.S. has a no-fault compensation system for vaccine injuries:
Since 1988, the VICP has paid over $5 billion in compensation for approximately 10,000 claims — out of billions of vaccine doses administered. Most compensated claims are settled cases, not admissions that a vaccine caused the injury.
VAERS reports 143,653 hospitalizations and 37,185 disability reports across all vaccines over 35 years. These raw numbers seem large, but context matters:
The VICP uses a Vaccine Injury Table that lists specific injuries presumed to be caused by specific vaccines if they occur within a defined time window after vaccination. If your injury matches a table entry, the burden of proof shifts — the program presumes the vaccine caused it unless proven otherwise. Table injuries include:
For injuries not on the table, petitioners must prove causation through medical evidence — a higher bar, but still possible. The table is updated periodically as new evidence emerges. The full current table is published by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
COVID-19 vaccines administered under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) are covered by the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), not the VICP. The CICP has a shorter filing deadline (1 year vs 3 years), no judicial review, and historically much lower compensation rates. As COVID-19 vaccines transition to full licensure, some may eventually be covered by the VICP instead. This distinction matters for anyone seeking compensation for a suspected COVID vaccine injury.
If you believe you or someone you know has experienced a vaccine injury:
How long do I have to file a VICP claim?
You must file within 3 years of the first symptom of the injury. For death claims, the deadline is 2 years from the date of death and 4 years from the onset of the first symptom. For CICP claims (COVID-19 vaccines), the deadline is just 1 year.
Do I need a lawyer to file a VICP claim?
While not required, most successful petitioners work with attorneys experienced in vaccine injury law. Attorney fees and costs are paid separately by the program, so they do not reduce your compensation. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims maintains a list of attorneys who handle these cases.
What is the average VICP compensation?
Compensation varies widely depending on the severity of the injury. Awards can range from a few thousand dollars for mild injuries to millions for permanent disability or death. The program covers medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering (capped at $250,000), and death benefits (capped at $250,000).
Does accepting VICP compensation mean the vaccine caused my injury?
Not necessarily. The majority of VICP settlements are negotiated agreements that do not require an admission of causation. The program is designed to be less adversarial than traditional litigation, and settlements often reflect the cost-effectiveness of resolution rather than a determination of fault.
Transparent reporting and compensation for genuine vaccine injuries is essential for maintaining public trust in vaccination programs. The existence of the VICP and systems like VAERS demonstrates that the medical establishment takes vaccine safety seriously — acknowledging that rare but real injuries do occur while emphasizing that the benefits of vaccination vastly outweigh the risks for the overwhelming majority of people.
VaccineWatch presents this data transparently to help you understand both the risks and the context. For medical advice about vaccination, always consult your healthcare provider.