What can I claim secondary to asthma?
5 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list asthma as a factor. If DVA has accepted your asthma, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionAsthma
- Conditions it may open5
- SourceRMA SoPs
- Chart Review$600 + GST
How a secondary claim works
Some Statement of Principles factors are not about service at all — they name another condition. Where DVA has already accepted your asthma, and another condition's SoP lists asthma as a factor, that part of the next claim is already established on your file. How a secondary claim works, in full →
Conditions that list asthma as a factor
Quoted from the instrument. A pathway existing is not the same as a claim succeeding — each factor carries thresholds your record has to satisfy.
Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter
RH No. 1 of 2023 · BoP No. 2 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (17): “having asthma of sufficient severity to require maintenance therapy at the time of the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter” [clinical onset] — factor (61): “having asthma of sufficient severity to require maintenance therapy at the time of the clinical worsening of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (17): “having asthma of sufficient severity to require maintenance therapy at the time of the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter” [clinical onset] — factor (54): “having asthma of sufficient severity to require maintenance therapy at the time of the clinical worsening of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter” [worsening]
Bronchiectasis
RH No. 30 of 2017 · BoP No. 31 of 2017
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (21): “having severe and persistent asthma within the five years before the clinical onset of bronchiectasis” [clinical onset] — factor (43): “having severe and persistent asthma within the five years before the clinical worsening of bronchiectasis” [worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Note: severe and persistent asthma is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
RH No. 17 of 2023 · BoP No. 18 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (13): “having asthma before the clinical onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [clinical onset] — factor (28): “having asthma before the clinical worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (12): “having asthma before the clinical onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [clinical onset] — factor (26): “having asthma before the clinical worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” [worsening]
Restless legs syndrome
RH No. 113 of 2022 · BoP No. 114 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (17): “having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma at the time of the clinical onset of restless legs syndrome” [clinical onset] — factor (35): “having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma at the time of the clinical worsening of restless legs syndrome” [worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Sickle-cell disorder
RH No. 40 of 2017 · BoP No. 41 of 2017
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (6): “having symptomatic asthma within the one year before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder” [worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Note: clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Other accepted conditions that also open atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions asthma does.
What DVA means by asthma
A claim is tested against the definition first. If the diagnosis on your file does not meet this wording, the factors below never get reached — so it is worth checking that what your doctor wrote matches what the instrument requires.
Asthma, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, asthma: (a) means a chronic disorder of the airways that is characterised by variable and recurring symptoms, variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and an underlying inflammation; and (b) includes reactive airways dysfunction syndrome.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(7) to 9(14) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, asthma where it was already present before or during service. If service caused asthma outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 31 of 2021 · BoP No. 32 of 2021 · 13 factors
What could support a claim for asthma?
The Statement of Principles for asthma names 2 other conditions among its own factors. If any of these is already accepted on your file, it may be the factor that carries a asthma claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Depressive disorder
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (12): “having a clinically significant depressive disorder for at least the six months before the clinical worsening of asthma; Compilation No. 1 Compilation date: 19/09/2022 Authorised Version F2022C00899 registered 19/09/2022” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (11): “having a clinically significant depressive disorder for at least the six months before the clinical worsening of asthma” [worsening]
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (13): “having gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the time of the clinical worsening of asthma” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (12): “having gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the time of the clinical worsening of asthma” [worsening]
Reviewed by Dr Thomas Perkins
Founding doctor, Veterans Health Centre · former RAAF aviation medical officer · 13 years working exclusively with ADF members and veterans. Full profile →
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