Statement of Principles
concerning
EXTERNAL BRUISE
(Reasonable Hypothesis)
(No. 5 of 2016)
The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.
Dated 18 December 2015
The Common Seal of the
Repatriation Medical Authority
was affixed to this instrument
at the direction of:
Professor Nicholas Saunders AO
Chairperson
Contents
1 Name........................................................................................................................................... 3
2 Commencement........................................................................................................................ 3
3 Authority..................................................................................................................................... 3
4 Revocation................................................................................................................................. 3
5 Application................................................................................................................................. 3
6 Definitions.................................................................................................................................. 3
7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates............... 3
8 Basis for determining the factors........................................................................................... 4
9 Factors that must exist............................................................................................................. 4
10 Relationship to service............................................................................................................. 4
11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles. 4
Schedule 1 - Dictionary............................................................................................. 5
1 Definitions.................................................................................................................................. 5
(a)
1 Name
This is the Statement of Principles concerning external bruise (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 5 of 2016).
2 Commencement
This instrument commences on 25 January 2016.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.
4 Revocation
The Statement of Principles concerning external bruise No. 109 of 2007 made under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA is revoked.
5 Application
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
6 Definitions
The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.
7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
(1) This Statement of Principles is about external bruise and death from external bruise.
Meaning of external bruise
(2) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, external bruise means a haemorrhage or haematoma in an external part of the body, but does not include an injury to an internal organ. External bruise is also known as external contusion.
Death from external bruise
(3) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, external bruise, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s external bruise.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
8 Basis for determining the factors
The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical‑scientific evidence that indicates that external bruise and death from external bruise can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.
Note: relevant service is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
9 Factors that must exist
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting external bruise or death from external bruise with the circumstances of a person’s relevant service:
(1) having trauma involving the affected site within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of external bruise;
(2) inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for external bruise.
10 Relationship to service
(1) The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.
(2) The factor set out in subsection 9(2) applies only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, external bruise where the person’s external bruise was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
In this Statement of Principles:
(1) if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and
(2) that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA;
then the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.
Schedule 1 - Dictionary
Note: See Section 6
1 Definitions
In this instrument:
external bruise—see subsection 7(2).
MRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.
relevant service means:
(a) operational service under the VEA;
(b) peacekeeping service under the VEA;
(c) hazardous service under the VEA;
(d) British nuclear test defence service under the VEA;
(e) warlike service under the MRCA; or
(f) non-warlike service under the MRCA.
terminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following:
(a) pneumonia;
(b) respiratory failure;
(c) cardiac arrest;
(d) circulatory failure; or
(e) cessation of brain function.
VEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.
