What can I claim secondary to otosclerosis?
1 condition in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list otosclerosis as a factor. If DVA has accepted your otosclerosis, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionOtosclerosis
- 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 otosclerosis, and another condition's SoP lists otosclerosis 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 otosclerosis 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 (1): “having otosclerosis on the affected side at the time of the clinical onset of conductive hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (14): “having otosclerosis on the affected side at the time of the clinical worsening of conductive hearing loss” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (1): “having otosclerosis on the affected side at the time of the clinical onset of conductive hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (13): “having otosclerosis on the affected side at the time of the clinical worsening of conductive hearing loss” [worsening]
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 otosclerosis does.
What DVA means by otosclerosis
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.
Otosclerosis, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, otosclerosis: (a) means a disorder of the ear characterised by abnormal bone remodelling of the otic capsule which can progress towards the stapes resulting in conductive hearing loss, or less commonly towards the cochlea resulting in sensorineural hearing loss; and (b) excludes familial otosclerosis.
Note the exclusion. This instrument expressly excludes familial Otosclerosis. A diagnosis of that is not a diagnosis of otosclerosis, and a claim framed the wrong way fails on the definition before any factor is considered.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(2) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, otosclerosis where it was already present before or during service. If service caused otosclerosis outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 23 of 2025 · BoP No. 24 of 2025 · 1 factors
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 →
Otosclerosis accepted?
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