USAR Potential MEB

[WIHYW]

Hey guys - long winded post inbound, but looking for any guidance.

Part time reservist that came off a deployment in fall of last year. On deployment I was injured and treated with what was initially no symptoms. While on post deployment leave I started to become symptomatic months later (hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and aural fullness). It wasn’t until after the first of the year that I could get seen by doctors and my symptom timeline was noted, but my unit still has failed to start processing an LOD for me because a neurologist put in his report that “Ménière’s disease is unlikely caused by an injury” despite multiple case reports and being diagnosed by an ENT.

Longer story shorter, I was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease and sensorineural hearing loss on one side and trying to figure where to go next. The vertigo is happening weekly and really impacting my life. I have a meeting with my PCM and Audiologist next week but am under the impression that the Ménière’s disease would trigger an H3/P3 profile and a MED Board. Is this correct? My hearing levels at 2 frequencies fall within the H3 threshold.

I’m worried that since my unit has failed to process an LOD, that I’ll be referred to a not in line of duty MEB. If anybody has any help or can point me in the right direction I’d greatly appreciate it!

 

[Almostthere86]

Do you have the treatment records from when you were treated overseas showing the nature of the injury? If your command is not wanting to do the LOD for the injury then push higher above them. You are owed one for an injury even if it comes down to the injury was your fault. I would reach out to your BN or BDE medical NCO and ask for assistance. It is up to the Army to initiate an MEB. While the words of the neuro are taken into account they can also look at the notes from the ENT. If the ENT agrees that your injury contributed then it can help. I didn’t have an LOD for my MEB just treatment records and a request pushed through my chain for my component to give me a profile if warranted. You are correct in the fact that a certain amount of hearing loss can generate a profile. It will be up to your component to decide if your hearing loss or audiology issues are enough to make you non-deployable and thus generating a possible MEB.