What can I claim secondary to multiple sclerosis?
7 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list multiple sclerosis as a factor. If DVA has accepted your multiple sclerosis, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionMultiple sclerosis
- Conditions it may open7
- 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 multiple sclerosis, and another condition's SoP lists multiple sclerosis 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 multiple sclerosis 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.
Hyperacusis
RH No. 27 of 2021 · BoP No. 28 of 2021
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (17): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of hyperacusis” [clinical onset] — factor (35): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of hyperacusis” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (15): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of hyperacusis” [clinical onset] — factor (30): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of hyperacusis” [worsening]
Osteoporosis
RH No. 66 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (4): “having multiple sclerosis or Parkinson disease for at least the one year before clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Periodic limb movement disorder
RH No. 19 of 2023 · BoP No. 20 of 2023
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (8): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of periodic limb movement disorder” [clinical onset] — factor (17): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of periodic limb movement disorder” [worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Restless legs syndrome
RH No. 113 of 2022 · BoP No. 114 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (7): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of restless legs syndrome” [clinical onset] — factor (25): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of restless legs syndrome” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (6): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of restless legs syndrome” [clinical onset] — factor (15): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of restless legs syndrome” [worsening]
Sensorineural hearing loss
RH No. 98 of 2019 · BoP No. 99 of 2019
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (20): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of sensorineural hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (55): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of sensorineural hearing loss; Compilation No. 1 Compilation date: 30/05/2022 Authorised Version F2022C00587 registered 31/05/2022” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (19): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of sensorineural hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (47): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of sensorineural hearing loss” [worsening]
Tinnitus
RH No. 84 of 2020 · BoP No. 85 of 2020
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (15): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of tinnitus” [clinical onset] — factor (53): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of tinnitus” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (12): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical onset of tinnitus” [clinical onset] — factor (43): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of the clinical worsening of tinnitus” [worsening]
Trigeminal neuralgia or trigeminal neuropathy
RH No. 84 of 2024 · BoP No. 85 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (18): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (16): “having multiple sclerosis at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening” [onset and worsening]
Other accepted conditions that also open hyperacusis
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions multiple sclerosis does.
What DVA means by multiple sclerosis
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.
Multiple sclerosis, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, multiple sclerosis: (a) means a chronic relapsing-remitting or progressive disorder affecting the motor and sensory systems of the central nervous system and characterised by multiple focal regions of demyelination of neuronal axons, inflammation and gliosis occurring on multiple occasions; and (b) includes relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, primary progressive multiple sclerosis and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; and (c) excludes: (i) clinically isolated syndrome; (ii) radiologically isolated syndrome; (iii) neuromyelitis optica; (iv) acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; (v) Marburg disease; (vi) Balo concentric sclerosis; and (vii) Schilder disease. (3) While multiple sclerosis attracts ICD-10-AM code G35, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of multiple sclerosis is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(11) to 9(26) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, multiple sclerosis where it was already present before or during service. If service caused multiple sclerosis outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 11 of 2020 · BoP No. 12 of 2020 · 19 factors
What could support a claim for multiple sclerosis?
The Statement of Principles for multiple sclerosis 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 multiple sclerosis claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Acute infectious mononucleosis
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (1): “having acute infectious mononucleosis before the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (1): “having acute infectious mononucleosis before the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis” [clinical onset]
Diabetes mellitus
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having type 1 diabetes mellitus before the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis” [clinical onset]
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 →
Multiple sclerosis accepted?
Contact us for more information.