What can I claim secondary to otitis externa?
1 condition in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list otitis externa as a factor. If DVA has accepted your otitis externa, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionOtitis externa
- Conditions it may open1
- 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 otitis externa, and another condition's SoP lists otitis externa 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 otitis externa 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.
Conductive hearing loss
RH No. 81 of 2019 · BoP No. 82 of 2019
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (9): “having acquired, permanent narrowing or obstruction of the external auditory canal of the affected ear, at the time of the clinical onset of conductive hearing loss; (a) benign fibro-osseous lesion; (b) benign or malignant neoplasm; (c) chronic otitis externa; (d) exostosis of the external auditory canal; (e) granuloma; and (f) necrotising otitis externa” [clinical onset] — factor (22): “having acquired, permanent narrowing or obstruction of the external auditory canal of the affected ear, at the time of the clinical worsening of conductive hearing loss; (a) benign fibro-osseous lesion; (b) benign or malignant neoplasm; (c) chronic otitis externa; (d) exostosis of the external auditory canal; (e) granuloma; and (f) necrotising otitis externa” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (8): “having acquired, permanent narrowing or obstruction of the external auditory canal of the affected ear, at the time of the clinical onset of conductive hearing loss; (a) benign fibro-osseous lesion; (b) benign or malignant neoplasm; (c) chronic otitis externa; (d) exostosis of the external auditory canal; (e) granuloma; and (f) necrotising otitis externa” [clinical onset] — factor (20): “having acquired, permanent narrowing or obstruction of the external auditory canal of the affected ear, at the time of the clinical worsening of conductive hearing loss; (a) benign fibro-osseous lesion; (b) benign or malignant neoplasm; (c) chronic otitis externa; (d) exostosis of the external auditory canal; (e) granuloma; and (f) necrotising otitis externa” [worsening]
Note: Examples of causes of narrowing or obstruction of the external auditory canal include, but are not limited to:.
Other accepted conditions that also open conductive hearing loss
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions otitis externa does.
What DVA means by otitis externa
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.
Otitis externa, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, otitis externa: (a) means an infectious or non-infectious inflammation of the external auditory canal; and (b) includes: (i) acute diffuse otitis externa; (ii) acute localised otitis externa (furunculosis); (iii) eczematous otitis externa; (iv) malignant otitis externa; (v) acquired cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal; and (vi) otomycosis.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(14) to 9(27) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, otitis externa where it was already present before or during service. If service caused otitis externa outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 25 of 2021 · BoP No. 26 of 2021 · 27 factors
What could support a claim for otitis externa?
The Statement of Principles for otitis externa 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 otitis externa claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Otitis media
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having chronic suppurative otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, within the 30 days before the clinical onset of otitis externa” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (23): “having chronic suppurative otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of otitis externa” [worsening]
Diabetes mellitus
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (11): “having diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical onset of otitis externa” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (24): “having diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical worsening of otitis externa” [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 →
Otitis externa accepted?
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