Infections with Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) bacteria can cause life-threatening illnesses including meningitis, pneumonia, severe swelling of throat, infections of blood, joints, bones, and covering of heart.

Before the Hib vaccine, Hib disease was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis among children under 5 years old in the United States. Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord that can lead to brain damage and deafness.

Hib disease is spread when someone who has the bacteria in their nose or throat coughs or sneezes. The bacteria can be spread even by people without symptoms.

Before widespread vaccination, every year about 20,000 young children got serious Hib disease and about 1,000 died. Today, less than 50 cases of Hib disease occur each year in young children in the United States. Most of these cases are in children who did not get any or all recommended doses of Hib vaccine.

Learn more about the Hib vaccine.

Most side effects after vaccination are mild. They include:

• Pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given
• Mild fever
• Chills
• Feeling tired
• Headache
• Muscle and joint aches

Although serious side effects following vaccination are rare, they do occur.

The U.S. government created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to reimburse people who suffer a serious injury as the result of a vaccine.

All vaccines administered to children and many vaccines administered to adults are covered by the federal vaccine program, including the Hib vaccine.

Injuries that can occur after a Hib vaccine include:

• GBS (Guillain-Barré syndrome)
• SIRVA (Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration)
• CIDP (Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy)
• AIDP (Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy)
• ADEM (Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis)
• ITP (Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura)
• TP (thrombocytopenic purpura)
• Transverse myelitis (TM)
• Central nervous disorders
• Encephalopathy
• Anaphylaxis
• Brachial neuritis
• Rotator cuff tear
• Vasovagal syncope
• Injection site injury
• Abscess
• Shoulder injury
• Arm injury

Our experienced vaccine injury team will discuss your options with you. If you are eligible, we can guide you through the process of applying to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, and help you get all the compensation you deserve.

We have represented people with vaccine injuries for more than thirty years. We know that these injuries can be life-changing and debilitating.

Our consultation is free, and if you win an award, our fees do not come out of your settlement. Any attorney’s fees are paid separately by the Vaccine Fund. You will never pay a fee for our assistance.