Important medical terms get mixed up and confused all the time. But it is important that you, as a member of the public, have a clear understanding of terms that are directly related to your health and that of your family. This is especially the case when it comes to vaccines and vaccination shots.

There is a difference between immunization and vaccination. When you go for a vaccination shot — and most vaccines are delivered through needle injection — you will be administered a drug that is designed to stimulate your immune system. The body develops antibodies to fight a particular disease or infection.

Here is how it works:

Certain viruses make you ill because they are so powerful and persistent that your immune system cannot cope. Like a large army that has routed its opposition, your immune system is simply overwhelmed and your body must subsequently surrender to the disease, which in extreme cases can mean death.

However, this only happens if the illness is allowed to infect your body in an uncontrolled form. A smaller and less potent sample of the disease will not cause as much damage, and your body will be able to build a resistance to it. To continue the analogy from above, your body will have a large reserve of troops it can call on to fend off the advancing army and keep its citadel intact.

Vaccines are designed to stimulate the growth of that army. They are intended to introduce just enough of the disease to help your body build up its defenses. There are many instances in which deadly viruses such as malaria, scarlet fever, small pox, and yellow fever have been averted thanks to the administration of vaccines.

However, there is another aspect of the immunization vs vaccination dynamic that can go terribly wrong. Not everyone responds to vaccines in the same way and some people suffer injuries ranging from mild to severe from receiving a vaccine. In the most extreme cases, vaccines have lead to death. Your doctor should take great care to learn all about your medical history and possible reactions to a vaccination shot. Vaccination injury is a form of medical malpractice. If you have suffered an unusual reaction or have developed an actual case of the virus rather than a resistance to it, then you have sufficient grounds for a lawsuit.

A great deal of study and science goes into both the creation and administration of vaccines. The truth of the immunization vs vaccination dynamic is that not every vaccination leads to immunization. Some of the negligent practices performed by physicians include administering the wrong dose, the incorrect vaccine, improper administration, or lack of due diligence in determining whether you can actually take the vaccine. Pharmaceutical companies can also be at fault for adverse reactions due to a failure to manufacture vaccines in the safest way possible or report dangerous or life threatening side effects.

Vaccine injury comes in many forms, including nerve damage and pain, bowel obstruction, brain damage, autoimmune disorders, and even death. If a routine vaccination has thrown your life into chaos, you deserve justice.

A lawyer who specializes in vaccine injury can help you get compensation for the injuries you have suffered. A vaccination that has gone wrong can lead to a long period of pain and suffering. It can also lead to further debt and expense. A vaccination injury lawyer can represent your case and help you receive compensation that is commensurate with all that you have been through.

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