I've been looking into that myself. the easy answer is yes people with MD are eligible but there has to be a lot of documentation. My advice is to consult with an attorney. They'll be able to help you come up with everything you need.

I developed MD in 1992 and became disabled in 1994. I applied for Social Security disability in 1995 and was initially turned down. I then obtained a lawyer and appealed which I won. I have been on disability since then.

The key is whether or not you can work at something that is similar to what you are doing now. The primary factor in evaluating disability will be the frequency of your vertigo attacks or dizzy episodes and how many days you would probably miss. I argued that no employer would sustain an employee who was missing 4-8 hours per week (one entire day) which was about the frequency of my attacks at the time (two per week). And for me, a vertigo attack would wipe out the entire day.

So I had about 3 years of documentation prior to my hearing and had worked for 2 years after contracting the disease. Make sure you are able to document everything even your attacks. Every little bit will help. Good luck.

Hi,
I'm up in Canada and of course the laws and benefits are different from the US.
I will be receiving my first disability check from the Ontarion Gov at the end of this month. I made a strong case to get the benefit.
You should check to see what benefits are available in NM and if there is one for disability you should apply. There's probably a lot paperwork and other hoops to jump through but it's worth the effort. MD makes it really tough to try and hold down employment so we can support outselves so everything that we can get should be explored.
Best of luck,
M

i have been on incapasity for 3 years wih Meniere's Disease, using the points system you should easly meet the requirements under the ( fits / blackouts ), Meniere's Disease is medicaly classed as a fit/blackout. you are also entitled to a national buss pass from your local council, due to the fact that anyone with Meniere's Disease is medicaly banned from driving in the uk.

forgot to mention my previos post only applies in the uk :)

I'm a bit late to this post so not sure if anyone's still reading it. I was given disability due to my hearing loss after getting the MD...However, I believe I got MD from SOMETHING like the MRI without earplugs (and having had 3 in 9 months!), and using a cellphone for years as that's when the squeaking voices/tinnitus started and having a neck injury (4 whiplashes in 10 yrs!) plus using otoxoic meds (NSAIDS for years for pain and allergy!). I will be seeing another DR for workers comp and hopefully this one will know something about MD! Just seems ironic that most of us get it later in life so SOMETHING/s has to cause it!?? Esp since my attorney told me that it seems to be increasing among the population lately? I'd love to be able to help prevent anyone else from ever getting this disease!

Hi Catalinav :-), I am in the UK so I dont know if this will benefit you i any way/ I was advised by out citizen advice bureau to claim disabily living allowance and got turned down first time but won on the second attempt. I now receive middle rate care and low rate mobility ! But it all depends on how the disease affect your day to day life rather than the name of the disease itself. So if you have strong documentation eg from your Doctor or specialists this all help with your case. Good luck and dont despair if you fail first time :-) xxx

I'm not sure at this point what to do My doctors says I might but it is up to the Disability board to decide and there are a lot of variables to getting this approved, The biggest part is you never know when an attack will come so it can not be amused that it is a disability, Not enough is known on the disease to get a positive answer on any thing and he said that is what they look at is positive answers.

Hi Catalinav, I applied for MD and got approved first time out, I also had a policy at work that is paying. The things they look for are "if you are currently working". I had to stop working before I would be approved for SSDI 6 months. You can however apply at anytime. Age is a factor with SSDI as the older you get the standard gets easyier. (Look this up on the SSDI web site to see at what age the standard changes you are close to approaching the first break) Lots of documentation is needed, you have to show a history of testing and treatments. This last part is probably the hardest, you need to show functional capacity to not be able to do any kind of work (that is the last test of SSDI determination). I would stongly advise getting a SSDI attorney and the best one you can find, they will evaluate your case and take or reject you based on if they feel your case is winnable. The common practice is for the attorney to not get paid unless you win. They are not going to take just anyone. This should give you some hope if they take your case. They also kown the doctors and what forms need to be filled out to address your functional capacity, it is almost imposable for you to build this kind of evidence on your own, they know exactily what to as the doctors. They also may consider sending you to "their independant doctor" for a functional evaluation. I would rather walk into court with my attornys independent functional capacity report than and insurance companies or SSDI doctor, only an attorny can do this. The bad news is it can take as little as 6 months or as long as three years to get paid which means approved. You have to ask if you have the resources to do this, unfortenantly the system dose not look favorably upon drawing unemployment. No one cares if you loose your house. In my case I sold my car, cut back everything and negotiated paying off all my debt. This is a real stressful process but you got to stay focused because at the end of the day depending on how bad your Meniere's is you may not have many options. I myself went out probably a month before I would have been terminated anyways or caused a major traffic accident then be terminated and probably kill/injure someone. Because I did file when I did, today I have income, am debt free and can breath again. My faith in God has never been stronger, I am working on my personnal relationship with Jesus everyday. He is our father and we are his sons and daughters. "I am with you allways, even to the end of the world".
Have a blessed day
Rich

Yes, I did apply for ssdi and got it. I ran the gambit of every treatment my hearing and balance doc recommended and nothing worked. I was in vestibular therapy for well over a yr as well. My doctor and therapist wrote a letter for me stating I was disabled. I went before a judge (w/out using an atty) who had all of my medical records, and there was a woman sitting next to me, at another table watching me the whole time to determined whether or not I could work.There are specific gov't guidelines you have to meet in order to qualify. The judge spoke to me for a while and then all of the sudden, he said I qualified for SSDI. I think the woman next to me gave him a nod. My husband was with me, and the judge asked him questions as well. I can remember a man coming out of the courtroom with two attorneys & heard them say, we'll keep working on it. I was afraid I'd lose my case w/out an atty present. My husband turned to me and said, "honey, God is our attorney and He will get you through this." He did.

Junipers makes some really valid points and also shows that your can do this process without an attorney. Every case is different and every case is individual to the person. SSDI is trying to put you under a classification of disability. Once you can prove your case you got a good chance of being approved. I was told at the start that it is about a 50/50 except or reject propisition. Dont forget the 50% approved in many of the cases have an attorney helping them or in the case that you may have other LTD insurance a company like ALLSUP might help with your approval. Attorneys will charge between 25 to 33% of your back pay as fee, the pros of it would be that maybe you get approved quicker. In my case I got approved first time through and the process took only 6 months (6months out of work 6 months from then to get filed and approved, I could have reduced this if I had filed right when I quit working). If you are denied you get to apeal, which is another 6 month wait. If your appeal is denied then you got to appeal
through the federal court. The back log in my state of federal court cases for disability is about 14 months. You tube has some great information about SSDI and what are answers to common questions, can be a great resourse. Forgive my bad spelling, I dont see well and really wish I had a spell checker....LOL

Have a blessed day!
Rich

I applied 2 yrs ago I have a SS hearing on Sept 24th

Good luck and God bless on the 24th Tribily!

Good luck and God bless on the 24th Tribily!

Im on Disability because of Meniere's Disease, it is on there list of things that qualify. If a Doctor will say you will most likley not be better in a year then it should not be a problem. Good luck.