Dislocation during service is almost always the result of physical trauma — a fall, a collision, a tackle, or a forced limb movement during training or operations. The SoP also recognises dislocation caused by damage to the supporting soft tissue (ligaments, tendons, the joint capsule), which is frequently the underlying mechanism behind ADF joint injuries.
A single dislocation very often leaves the joint chronically prone to recurrence. Chronic instability and the soft tissue damage that comes with it — labral tears, rotator cuff damage, cartilage injury — are separately claimable as sequelae, and they frequently carry their own impairment points on top of the original dislocation.
Why Dislocation Shows Up So Often in Veterans
Shoulder dislocation is the most prevalent type in military service — the joint is inherently unstable by design, and it's subjected to extreme loads in parachute operations, weapon carry, combat physical training, load-bearing marches, and close-combat training. Patellofemoral (kneecap) dislocation and subluxation is common in physical training and combat roles, and finger and wrist dislocations occur frequently during close-combat training, sport, and falls during field exercises.
What the Statement of Principles requires
DVA measures every claim against a Statement of Principles (SoP) — a legally binding document setting out the specific factors that can connect a condition to service. Here are the pathways that most often apply to dislocation claims, in plain language.
Physical trauma to the joint
A traumatic event applying sufficient force to cause complete or partial loss of contact between the joint surfaces — the primary pathway for most service-related dislocations.
Damage to a supporting soft tissue structure
Documented or clinically plausible injury to the capsule, tendon, ligament, or fibrocartilage supporting the joint, during the relevant service period.
A fracture, avulsion, or bony abnormality at the joint
A bony injury or abnormality at the joint that compromised its structural integrity.
A disease process affecting the joint
An accepted disease process — neurological, inflammatory, degenerative, or an intra-articular lesion — present at the joint at the time of dislocation.
Wide mouth opening (TMJ dislocation only)
Forced wide opening of the jaw causing temporomandibular joint dislocation.
Inability to obtain appropriate clinical management
Circumstances that prevented timely, appropriate management of the dislocation at the time.
How DVA Approaches the Impairment Assessment
A single dislocation that resolved fully without complications generally attracts minimal impairment points on its own. The significant impairment, for most veterans, lies in the lasting sequelae rather than the original event. Chronic shoulder instability following a first dislocation — a very common outcome — is assessed under the joint instability and rotator cuff frameworks. Labral tears resulting from the dislocation attract their own separate impairment assessment, and post-traumatic osteoarthritis developing in a previously dislocated joint is separately claimable again. The strategic point here is straightforward: make sure every sequela of the original dislocation is identified and claimed. The combined impairment across the dislocation itself, any ongoing instability, associated soft tissue damage, and post-traumatic arthritis produces a meaningfully higher overall result than treating the dislocation as a single, standalone event.
The evidence that decides it
Most initial liability decisions currently take DVA somewhere between 3 and 6 months, longer for complex or multi-condition claims. A complete, well-organised submission up front tends to shorten that wait considerably.
- Medical records or imaging from the time of the original dislocation
- Service records establishing that the injury occurred during service activities
- A current orthopaedic or specialist report assessing joint stability and residual functional impairment
- Imaging showing any associated structural damage — labral tears, rotator cuff pathology, cartilage changes
- A personal statement describing how the injury occurred and the progression of symptoms since service
- Evidence of any surgical intervention undertaken to stabilise the joint
On the PAMT list
Dislocation is one of the conditions covered by Provisional Access to Medical Treatment, meaning funded treatment could begin before DVA reached a liability decision. This included:
- Orthopaedic specialist review and management
- Physiotherapy and joint rehabilitation
- Imaging to assess joint integrity and associated soft tissue damage
- Surgical stabilisation where clinically indicated
- Pain management services
Questions veterans ask about Dislocation
Can I claim chronic instability in a joint that was dislocated during service?
Yes — ongoing instability following a service dislocation is a well-recognised, separately assessable sequela.
What's the difference between a dislocation and a subluxation?
A dislocation is a complete loss of contact between the joint surfaces; a subluxation is a partial loss. Both sit under the same Statement of Principles and are equally claimable.
My dislocation was put back into place at the time. Do I still have a claim?
Yes — successful reduction at the time doesn't rule out a claim, particularly where the joint has gone on to develop ongoing instability or other complications.
Can I claim a dislocation that wasn't documented in my service medical records?
Yes, provided you can otherwise establish that it occurred during service — a statutory declaration and corroborating circumstantial evidence can support this where formal records are missing.
Related conditions
The same service exposure that causes dislocation often produces related conditions that are separately claimable. It's worth having these assessed at the same time rather than as an afterthought.
Ready to Look Into a Dislocation Claim?
Book a free consultation and we'll go through whether your circumstances meet the SoP factors, what evidence would strengthen your case, and what to expect next.
This page is general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice. Statement of Principles factors, thresholds, and program details are current as at the update date above but can change — always confirm against your own determination letter and the current SoP instrument. For medical concerns, speak with a qualified health professional; for legal advice, a solicitor experienced in military compensation law.
