Acute articular cartilage tear
Meaning of acute articular cartilage tear: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, acute articular cartilage tear: (a) means an injury involving tearing or damage of the articular (hyaline) cartilage of a joint resulting in a sudden onset of pain and tenderness; and (b) excludes chronic tears and degenerative tears of articular cartilage.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 21 of 2019
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting acute articular cartilage tear or death from acute articular cartilage tear with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having a significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint at the time of the clinical onset of acute articular cartilage tear;
- (2)having intra-articular surgery of the affected joint at the time of the clinical onset of acute articular cartilage tear;
Note: Examples of processes involved during intra-articular surgery include, but are not limited to, using a drill, placing an anchor suture and inserting an intra-articular infusion pump.
- (3)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for acute articular cartilage tear;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(3) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 22 of 2019
3 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, acute articular cartilage tear or death from acute articular cartilage tear is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having a significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint at the time of the clinical onset of acute articular cartilage tear;
- (2)having intra-articular surgery of the affected joint at the time of the clinical onset of acute articular cartilage tear;
Note: Examples of processes involved during intra-articular surgery include, but are not limited to, using a drill, placing an anchor suture and inserting an intra-articular infusion pump.
- (3)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for acute articular cartilage tear;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(3) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
