Presumptive liability: claims accepted without a SoP
Ordinarily every DVA claim is tested against a Statement of Principles. Presumptive liability is the exception — a list of conditions known to have a common connection with military service, which can be accepted without going through the SoP at all.
At a glance
- DeterminationUnder 2 weeks
- SoP requiredNo
- Diagnosis requiredYes
- Applies from1 July 2026
How it works
The improved MRCA allows the Commission to specify a list of injuries and diseases that may be accepted on a presumptive basis, where they are known to have a common connection with military service, without needing to refer to the Statements of Principles. In many cases that means a veteran no longer needs to provide as much evidence — or, for some conditions, any beyond the diagnosis.
Where you claim an eligible presumptive condition, provide a confirmed diagnosis from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner, and submit all required information at lodgement, DVA may determine the claim in under two weeks as part of the allocation process, without seeking further evidence.
Note the conditions on that: a diagnosis is still required, and the claim still has to be lodged complete. Presumptive liability removes the causation argument, not the paperwork.
What is carried across
The presumptive conditions and categories that existed under the previous framework carry across to the MRCA. They include:
- Conditions for ADF firefighters who participated in firefighting training at RAAF Base Point Cook between 1 January 1957 and 31 December 1986.
- Cancers prescribed for ADF firefighters under subsection 7(8) of the DRCA.
- Specified conditions for F-111 Deseal/Reseal workers at RAAF Base Amberley between 1976 and 1994.
- Conditions covered by the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) (Specified Diseases and Employment) Instrument 2017.
- Other conditions currently specified under Departmental policy.
The Deseal/Reseal category matters enormously in our part of the world. We are fifteen minutes from Amberley, and veterans who worked those programs — or who were simply around them — are among our most common patients. If that is you, it is worth establishing what is on the specified list before you lodge anything.
What it does not change
Everything outside the presumptive list is unchanged. Each condition still needs a diagnosis, still gets assessed against its Statement of Principles, and still succeeds or fails on whether the evidence shows a factor was met because of service. Most veterans have a mix — one or two conditions that may fall under a presumptive category, and a long list that does not.
That mix is the practical reason to have the whole record read at once rather than lodging piecemeal. A chart review identifies which of your conditions sit in a presumptive category and which need the full evidentiary treatment.
General information for Australian veterans, not legal or financial advice, and current as at September 2026. The authority is DVA — see the Veterans' Legislation Reform pages or call 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my condition is presumptive?
The list is specified by the Commission and includes the categories carried over from the previous framework. Ask DVA, your advocate, or us — and if it is not presumptive, it is still claimable through the ordinary Statement of Principles pathway.
Do I still need a diagnosis?
Yes. Presumptive liability removes the need to argue causation; it does not remove the need for a diagnosis from an appropriately qualified practitioner.
Will my claim really be decided in two weeks?
It may be, where you claim an eligible presumptive condition, supply the confirmed diagnosis, and lodge all required information at once. Incomplete lodgement is what pushes a claim back into the ordinary queue.
I worked on F-111 Deseal/Reseal at Amberley. What should I do?
Establish which of your conditions fall within the specified list for that program, and have the rest of your record assessed at the same time. The clinic is fifteen minutes from the base and we see this work constantly.
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
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