Meniere’s Disease

 Are you a veteran who is suffering from an inner ear disorder or have a diagnosis of Meniere’s disease related to your time in service?  Meniere’s disease is a chronic inner ear disability that may result in hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo.  It can occur in one or both ears.   

While the exact cause of Meniere’s disease in not known, common causes may include viral infection, improper fluid drainage in the ear, abnormal immune response or a genetic predisposition. 

In order to be successful in a VA claim for direct service connection for Meniere’s Disease, a veteran must satisfy the following elements:

(1)  A current diagnosed disability that the veteran is currently seeking treatment.
(2)  An in-service injury, illness or event that may have caused the disability; and 
(3)  A medical nexus statement that links the in-service injury, illness, or event. Typically, nexus statements are medical opinions, such as an audiology report, that links the Meniere’s disease to the veteran’s time in service.  

VA rates Meniere’s disease under Diagnostic Code 6205 as follows:

•  100% – hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly, with or without tinnitus
• 60% – hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring from one to four times a month, with or without tinnitus

• 30% – hearing impairment with vertigo less than once a month, with or without tinnitus

Additionally, the VA has a duty to maximize a veteran’s benefit and must rate granted disabilities that result in the highest evaluation. Therefore, the VA can rate Meniere’s disease using the diagnostic code above OR the VA can rate each disability separately and individually (such as hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo) depending on what ratings combination would maximize the veteran’s benefit. 

Deana M. Adamson

Martin Jones & Piemonte

VA Accredited Attorney

Licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina

Website: www.mjpdisability.com