Frostbite
Meaning of frostbite: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, frostbite: (a) means a thermal injury involving the freezing of skin, subcutaneous tissues or deep tissues; and (b) excludes hypothermia and other cold injuries not associated with the freezing of tissues. (3) While frostbite attracts ICD-10-AM code T33, T34 or T35, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of frostbite is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 11 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 frostbite or death from frostbite with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)exposing the affected part of the body to freezing temperatures within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of frostbite;
- (2)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for frostbite;
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. 12 of 2018
2 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, frostbite or death from frostbite is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)exposing the affected part of the body to freezing temperatures within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of frostbite;
- (2)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for frostbite;
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.
