What can I claim secondary to epilepsy?
8 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list epilepsy as a factor. If DVA has accepted your epilepsy, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionEpilepsy
- Conditions it may open8
- 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 epilepsy, and another condition's SoP lists epilepsy 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 epilepsy 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.
Anxiety disorder
RH No. 100 of 2023 · BoP No. 101 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (14): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of generalised anxiety disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (44): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of anxiety disorder” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (11): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of generalised anxiety disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (35): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of anxiety disorder” [worsening]
Depressive disorder
RH No. 11 of 2024 · BoP No. 12 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (14): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of major depressive disorder, major depressive episode, persistent depressive disorder or premenstrual dysphoric disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (44): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of depressive disorder” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (12): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of major depressive disorder, major depressive episode, persistent depressive disorder or premenstrual dysphoric disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (33): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of depressive disorder” [worsening]
Dupuytren disease
RH No. 9 of 2019 · BoP No. 10 of 2019
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of Dupuytren disease” [clinical onset] — factor (13): “receiving an average of at least 100 milligrams of phenobarbital (phenobarbitone) per day for the treatment of epilepsy: (a) for a continuous period of at least two years before the clinical onset of Dupuytren disease; and (b) where this treatment has ceased, the clinical onset of Dupuytren disease has occurred within one year of cessation” [clinical onset] — factor (23): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of Dupuytren disease” [worsening] — factor (26): “receiving an average of at least 100 milligrams of phenobarbital (phenobarbitone) per day for the treatment of epilepsy: (a) for a continuous period of at least two years before the clinical worsening of Dupuytren disease; and (b) where this treatment has ceased, the clinical worsening of Dupuytren disease has occurred within one year of cessation” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (10): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of Dupuytren disease” [clinical onset] — factor (21): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of Dupuytren disease” [worsening]
Hypogonadism
RH No. 73 of 2021 · BoP No. 74 of 2021
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (23): “having active epilepsy before the clinical onset of hypogonadism” [clinical onset] — factor (61): “having active epilepsy before the clinical worsening of hypogonadism” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (21): “having active epilepsy before the clinical onset of hypogonadism” [clinical onset] — factor (51): “having active epilepsy before the clinical worsening of hypogonadism” [worsening]
Note: active epilepsy is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Panic disorder
RH No. 55 of 2018 · BoP No. 56 of 2018
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of panic disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (22): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of panic disorder” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (10): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of panic disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (21): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of panic disorder” [worsening]
Plantar fibromatosis
RH No. 21 of 2023 · BoP No. 22 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (4): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical onset of plantar fibromatosis” [clinical onset] — factor (5): “taking phenobarbital or primidone regularly for the treatment of epilepsy: (a) for a continuous period of at least 2 years before the clinical onset of plantar fibromatosis; and (b) where this treatment has ceased, the clinical onset of plantar fibromatosis has occurred within the 1 year of cessation” [clinical onset] — factor (11): “having epilepsy at the time of the clinical worsening of plantar fibromatosis” [worsening] — factor (12): “taking phenobarbital or primidone regularly for the treatment of epilepsy: (a) for a continuous period of at least 2 years before the clinical worsening of plantar fibromatosis; and (b) where this treatment has ceased, the clinical worsening of plantar fibromatosis has occurred within the 1 year of cessation” [worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Sudden unexplained death
RH No. 45 of 2022 · BoP No. 46 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (6): “having epilepsy at the time of the sudden unexplained death”
Balance of Probabilities — factor (6): “having epilepsy at the time of the sudden unexplained death”
Suicide and attempted suicide
RH No. 39 of 2025 · BoP No. 40 of 2025
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (16): “having epilepsy at the time of clinical onset” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (15): “having epilepsy at the time of clinical onset” [clinical onset]
Other accepted conditions that also open anxiety disorder
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions epilepsy does.
What DVA means by epilepsy
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.
Epilepsy, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, epilepsy: (a) means a chronic, recurring, paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to sudden, abnormal, excessive neuronal discharge manifesting with seizures; and (b) includes status epilepticus, generalised epilepsy and focal epilepsy; and (c) excludes: (i) movement disorders such as restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, chorea and tics; (ii) muscle dystonia or spasms associated with tetanus, drugs or chemical poisons; (iii) psychogenic seizures; (iv) seizures occurring during electroconvulsive therapy; and (v) spontaneous movements occurring with syncope, vertigo or migraine.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(22) to 9(43) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, epilepsy where it was already present before or during service. If service caused epilepsy outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 84 of 2022 · BoP No. 85 of 2022 · 40 factors
What could support a claim for epilepsy?
The Statement of Principles for epilepsy names 7 other conditions among its own factors. If any of these is already accepted on your file, it may be the factor that carries a epilepsy claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (1): “having a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury before the clinical onset of epilepsy” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (22): “having a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury before the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Concussion
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (2): “having concussion within the 20 years before the clinical onset of epilepsy” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (23): “having concussion within the 20 years before the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Electrical injury
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (3): “having an electrical injury of the brain before the clinical onset of epilepsy” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (24): “having an electrical injury of the brain before the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Sleep apnoea
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (15): “having obstructive sleep apnoea at the time of the clinical onset of epilepsy” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (36): “having obstructive sleep apnoea at the time of the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Diabetes mellitus
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (17): “having type 1 diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical onset of epilepsy” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (38): “having type 1 diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Depressive disorder
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (18): “having clinically significant depressive disorder at least 1 year before the clinical onset of epilepsy” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (39): “having clinically significant depressive disorder at least 1 year before the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Alcohol use disorder
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (40): “having moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, including alcohol dependence, at the time of the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (37): “having moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, including alcohol dependence, at the time of the clinical worsening of epilepsy” [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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