Zika virus infection

Zika virus infection — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for Zika virus infection. DVA can only accept a claim for Zika virus infection 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. 15 of 2018 · BoP No. 16 of 20184 factors

Meaning of zika virus infection: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, Zika virus infection means a symptomatic, clinical illness caused by the Zika virus, which has been confirmed by laboratory testing.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 15 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 Zika virus infection or death from Zika virus infection with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
being exposed to the Zika virus between one and 21 days before the clinical onset of Zika virus infection;
Note: being exposed to the Zika virus is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(2)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Zika virus infection;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 8(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. 16 of 2018

2 factors

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

(1)
being exposed to the Zika virus between one and 21 days before the clinical onset of Zika virus infection;
Note: being exposed to the Zika virus is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(2)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Zika virus infection;

Accepted — what is it worth?

A Statement of Principles decides one thing only: whether DVA accepts liability for zika virus infection. 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.