Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis)

Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis). DVA can only accept a claim for Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) if at least one of these factors is met and connected to your service. Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) applies to operational service; Balance of Probabilities (BoP) applies to peacetime service.

Source: Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles as held by the Veterans Health Centre. SoPs are amended and replaced regularly; always confirm the current instrument at rma.gov.au before relying on it.

RH No. 41 of 2025 · BoP No. 42 of 20253 factors

Meaning of cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis): For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis): (a) means a chronic focal dystonia characterised by sustained or intermittent involuntary neck muscle contractions, causing repetitive movements or abnormal movements or postures of the head, neck, and shoulders; and (b) excludes: (i) drug-induced dystonia; (ii) generalised or hemidystonia; (iii) paroxysmal dystonia; (iv) congenital dystonia; (v) dystonia resulting from a neurological disorder; (vi) dystonia resulting from a structural lesion of the brain or cervical cord; and (vii) dystonia resulting from a local lesion of the cervical region.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 41 of 2025

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 cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) or death from cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
having trauma to the neck, head, or shoulders which results in local symptoms lasting for at least 2 weeks, within the 1 year before clinical onset;
Note: Mechanisms of trauma include motor vehicle accidents, whiplash, assault, falls, and heavy lifting.
(2)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) before clinical worsening;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(2) 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. 42 of 2025

1 factors

At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) or death from cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) before clinical worsening;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(1) 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.

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