Chilblains

Chilblains — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for Chilblains. DVA can only accept a claim for Chilblains 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. 29 of 2018 · BoP No. 30 of 20188 factors

Meaning of chilblains: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, chilblains: (a) means painful, localised erythema and inflammatory swelling from the reaction of the small blood vessels in the skin to exposure to non-freezing cold; and (b) excludes non-freezing cold injury, frostnip and frostbite.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 29 of 2018

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 chilblains or death from chilblains with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
exposing the affected part of the body to non-freezing temperatures below ten degrees Celsius within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of chilblains;
(2)
having a disease from the specified list of diseases at the time of the clinical onset of chilblains;
Note: specified list of diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(3)
having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 21 at the time of the clinical onset of chilblains;
Note: BMI is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(4)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for chilblains;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(4) 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. 30 of 2018

4 factors

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

(1)
exposing the affected part of the body to non-freezing temperatures below ten degrees Celsius within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of chilblains;
(2)
having a disease from the specified list of diseases at the time of the clinical onset of chilblains;
Note: specified list of diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(3)
having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 21 at the time of the clinical onset of chilblains;
Note: BMI is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(4)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for chilblains;

Accepted — what is it worth?

A Statement of Principles decides one thing only: whether DVA accepts liability for chilblains. It says nothing about how much you are paid. Compensation is worked out separately, from impairment points under the GARP — so a condition can be accepted and still rate few points, or rate more than you expect once it is combined with everything else on your file.