DVA Claims for RAAF Richmond Veterans
Richmond is air mobility. Decades of C-130 Hercules operations, then C-27J and the movements and logistics work that surrounds them, have produced a veteran population in western Sydney with a very consistent injury profile.
At a glance
- ServiceAir Force
- LocationWestern Sydney, New South Wales
- Chart Review$600 + GST
- Permanent Impairment$1,500 + GST
Claims from RAAF Base Richmond
Air movements is among the most physically destructive trades in the Air Force: repetitive manual handling of freight and pallets, work in cargo holds and on ramps, and lifting in awkward postures under time pressure. Lumbar and shoulder conditions dominate. Add turboprop noise exposure, shift work, and the hearing loss that comes from years on a ramp, and most Richmond veterans have more claimable conditions than they realise.
Richmond is air mobility. Decades of C-130 Hercules operations, then C-27J and the movements and logistics work that surrounds them, have produced a veteran population in western Sydney with a very consistent injury profile.
Air movements is among the most physically destructive trades in the Air Force: repetitive manual handling of freight and pallets, work in cargo holds and on ramps, and lifting in awkward postures under time pressure. Lumbar and shoulder conditions dominate. Add turboprop noise exposure, shift work, and the hearing loss that comes from years on a ramp, and most Richmond veterans have more claimable conditions than they realise.
None of the documentary stages require you to travel.
Units and establishments associated with RAAF Base Richmond:
37 Squadron · 22 Squadron · Air Movements Training and Development Unit · Air Lift Group heritage units · Richmond maintenance and movements trades
Whatever you served on, the claim is decided on your record. Start with the complete guide to DVA claims, find the Statement of Principles for your condition, or read example Diagnostic Assessments written for conditions like yours.
Frequently asked questions
I served at RAAF Base Richmond years ago. Is it too late to claim?
For most conditions there is no general time limit on lodging an initial liability claim, and veterans who discharged decades ago lodge and succeed regularly. What matters is whether a condition can be diagnosed now and connected to service on the available evidence.
My injuries were never formally recorded.
Common, and not a bar. Mechanism can often be established from your unit, trade and duties along with later records showing the consequences. A chart review is how that material gets found.
Do I need to travel to Queensland?
Not for the documentary stages — chart reviews, diagnostic assessments, diagnosis forms and appeal documents are produced from your file. Only a physical impairment examination requires attendance.
What does it cost?
Every claims stage is $600 + GST and a Permanent Impairment Assessment is $1,500 + GST — fixed, quoted in writing, and payable only once the stage is delivered. Never a percentage of your compensation.
Dr Thomas Perkins
The expert in veterans’ medicolegal medicine — Expert DVA Doctor.
Dr Thomas Perkins is the founding doctor at the Veterans Health Centre in Ipswich, Queensland, and the leading expert in veterans’ medicolegal work in Australia. He has spent over 13 years working exclusively with current and former Australian Defence Force members — treating conditions, writing reports, and navigating the DVA system alongside them.
With 100,000+ DVA claims submitted and over 2,000 Permanent Impairment Assessments completed, Dr Perkins brings a depth of experience that simply cannot be replicated from a textbook. He understands the Statements of Principles, the GARP tables, the imaging that proves what a physical examination alone cannot — and the difference that a properly written report makes at every level, from initial liability through to the VRB.
Every chart review, every diagnostic assessment, and every impairment rating is personally overseen by Dr Perkins. If you’re looking for a doctor who knows veterans medicine inside and out, you’ve found the right clinic.
0429 146 039 reception@vhc.org.au
Book appointmentServed at RAAF Base Richmond?
Contact us for more information.