I come at this from two angles, one as a woman who had 4 c-sections and, two as a nurse.
I have safely had four c-sections with no real problems. I had a tubal ligation with my fourth so that is the end for me. The ONLY time a VBAC was discussed was with my second child and when I developed gestational diabetes and he started measuring really large, we stopped that discussion and went back to a c-section. I had four different docs, because of moving and inusurance, docs three and four definitely agreed that VBACs were too risky.
Now, as a nurse, I have seen the research and the risk is there, but not HUGE. However, I would never take that risk myself as rupture can lead to massive hemorrhaging and death. Even if a person lived, that would be the end of childbearing and that in and of itself, was enough to make VBACs not an option in my mind.
Good luck to you.