Ménière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, hearing loss, nausea, and even vomiting. For some patients, attacks come on quickly, and then symptoms disappear for an extended period of time. For others, multiple attacks can occur more closely together and last over many days. Some people who suffer from Ménière’s disease have extreme cases of vertigo that cause them to fall. These types of episodes are known as “drop attacks.”
While it’s possible for people of all ages to develop Ménière’s disease, it’s more likely to occur in adults between 40 and 60 years old. According to The National Institute on Deafness more than 600 hundred thousand people in the U.S. have Ménière’s disease, and each year more than 40 thousand new cases are diagnosed.
If you suffer from Ménière’s disease you may eligible for VA disability benefits, if the disease is service-connected. There is a three step process for applying for benefits.
The first step is obtaining a medical diagnosis from a licensed audiologist. And the VA is very strict about this—the audiologist must administer two separate tests: the Maryland CNC test and the Puretone Audiometric Test.
For the second step in your case, you must present evidence of how an event or series of events during your service likely caused your hearing loss. Some examples of these kinds of events are loud noises from airplane engines, gunfire, or explosions.
To complete the final step toward winning benefits you must obtain a medical opinion that links together the in-service events and your hearing loss condition.
As you can see the navigating the path to VA benefits can be tricky. The VA accredited attorneys at Cuddigan Law can help you gather the necessary evidence, get the proper diagnosis, establish the critically important service-connection, and present the strongest possible case to the VA. Call us for a free evaluation of your situation.
