Conditions not covered by SOPs

Claims concerning diseases and injuries that are not covered by SOPs can still be lodged with and determined by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, but are determined by having regard to available medical opinions and evidence rather than a SOP. Opinions may vary, and the decision-maker is required in such cases to reach a conclusion about the causal relationship of the condition with service on the basis of all of the available relevant evidence.

There are a number of clinical conditions which following investigation by the RMA have been declared not to be injuries or diseases for the purposes of the VEA or MRCA or not able to be related to service. These declarations are binding on decision-makers and claims for such conditions cannot be accepted.