Meniere's disease and severe vertigo can I get SSDI
Recently on our disability forum a user asked, I have been diagnosed with Menieres disease. Many days my condition is so severe and my vertigo so debilitating that I am unable to walk, drive or go to work. My boss has been very accommodating, but its getting to the point where I am going to have to quit work. I was wondering if I might qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?
Overview of Meniere's Disease
Although the exact cause and reason that individuals acquire Menieres disease is unknown, the National Institute of Health estimates that there are as many as 615,000 people in the U.S. have who suffer with the disease, with thousands of new cases being diagnosed each year.
What is Menieres disease?
Menieres disease is an inner ear condition which causes a variety of symptoms including:
The severity of the condition can vary with some episodes lasting for as little as 15 minutes up to 4 hours at a time. Men and women report suffering from this condition in equal numbers with the greatest number of cases originating in men and women aged 20 to 50.
Can I get SSDI for Menieres disease?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a wage replacement program provided to disabled workers who suffer from severe mental or physical health conditions. Conditions must be expected at least 12 continuous months to qualify and workers must have worked and earned sufficient work credits to be insured for SSDI benefits.
Although the Social Security Administration (SSA) has a list of conditions they consider automatically disabling, any medically determinable impairment can qualify as long it is determined that the worker cannot work for at least 12 months due to their physical and mental limitations (and they meet all of the nonmedical requirements of SSDI).
Qualifying for SSDI for Menieres Disease
Although you cannot apply for SSDI benefits until you have stopped working and making too much money, when you are no longer able to work it is time to apply.
If you have been working continuously and paying employment taxes for years you should have enough work credits for benefits, but if you have questions about whether or not you are insured for SSDI benefits you can contact the SSA.
Does my condition meet a listing?
Next, review the SSA Listing of Impairments and make sure you have sufficient medical evidence to meet the listing. The listing for Menieres disease can be found under 2.00-Special Senses and Speech-Adult, Section, 2.07 Disturbance of labyrinthine-vestibular function (Including Ménière's disease).
To meet the listing your condition must be characterized by a history of frequent attacks of balance disturbance, tinnitus, and progressive loss of hearing. Specifically, you will need to prove you have (A) Disturbed function of vestibular labyrinth demonstrated by caloric or other vestibular tests and (B) Hearing loss established by audiometry.
Bottom line:
If you suffer from Menieres disease and you can no longer work, you may qualify for SSDI benefits.
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