Vertigo causes an individual to feel that the world is spinning around them. In reality, they’re sitting or standing still. Episodes of vertigo can last from a few minutes to several hours. In some cases, they can even continue for days. Severe vertigo significantly affects an individual’s ability to function. If you’re living with severe vertigo, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits.
Is Vertigo A Disability?
Individuals living with vertigo may qualify for disability if they meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) requirements. Social Security’s Blue Book contains these requirements. Vertigo falls under the listing associated with Section 2: Special Senses and Speech – Adult.
To meet SSA’s requirements for vertigo-related disability, an individual must experience the following:
· Balance problems
· Tinnitus
· Partial or full hearing loss
To present a strong claim for disability benefits, claimants need solid supporting evidence from their treating medical providers. This includes accurate medical records with condition-appropriate diagnotics and tests.
Causes of Vertigo
Vertigo is most often a result of inner ear dysfunction. The inner ear acts as a message-command center, telling the brain how your body is moving relative to gravity. The brain, in turn, tells your muscles how to react, based on the information it receives from the inner ear.
If something goes wrong in the inner ear, the brain signals are disrupted. This causes a loss of balance in the body and mind. As a result, individuals experience a spinning sensation that can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and a loss of body fluids. The medical term for this condition is vertigo.
Common conditions that impact the inner ear include:
· Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) – This condition is often related to aging and occurs when small calcium particles build up in the ear canal.
· Meniere’s disease – This is a disorder that causes fluid to build up in the ear, changing pressure within the ear. It can cause both vertigo and tinnitus (ringing in the ear), as well as hearing loss.
· Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis – A condition usually caused by a viral infection that can cause inflammation in the inner ear and the nerves that help you maintain balance.
In addition to the above, vertigo may result from a head or neck injury, a stroke or brain tumor, migraine headaches, and even certain medication protocols. Studies also show that women suffer bouts of vertigo more frequently than men.
With a Denial, All Is Not Lost
Most initial claims for disability benefits are denied by SSA. If you receive a denial, all is not lost.
Claimants can appeal SSA’s decision and many choose to work with a qualified disability lawyer after an initial denial. Disability lawyers like the attorneys at Collins Price work on your behalf throughout the entire appeals process.
If you do not meet the Blue Book’s listed requirements, you may still qualify for disability benefits. To qualify you must demonstrate the severity of your vertigo-related symptoms and limitations through a residual functioning capacity (RFC) evaluation.
Your medical provider completes the RFC. In doing so, they list your conditions, symptoms, limitations, and any side effects from previous treatment.
Then, the SSA carefully considers the information in the RFC. If they determine that your condition or combination of conditions is so severe that you cannot perform any kind of work, you may qualify for benefits.
Speak With Our Social Security Disability Lawyer in Charlotte, NC
Individuals workign with experienced disability attorneys have a greater chance of success than those who apply alone. At Collins Price, we provide that vitally-needed legal assistance with the help of our Social Security Disability Attorneys near Charlotte, NC.
We represent claimants at every stage of the process, from initial application to denials to hearings. We will fight to pursue your claim or appeal until it’s approved. Our law firm has helped many of our fellow North Carolinians secure SSD benefits. If you’re unable to work due to debilitating and documented symptoms of vertigo, please contact our lawyers to schedule your free consultation today.
