Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 81 of 2016) (Cth)

Statement of Principles concerning ANIMAL ENVENOMATION (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 81 of 2016) The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

Dated 28 October 2016

The Common Seal of the Repatriation Medical Authority was affixed to this instrument at the direction of:

Professor Nicholas Saunders AO Chairperson

Contents 1 Name 2 Commencement 3 Authority 4 Revocation 5 Application 6 Definitions 7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates 8 Basis for determining the factors 9 Factors that must exist 10 Relationship to service 11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles Schedule 1 - Dictionary 1 Definitions

1 Name This is the Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 81 of 2016). 2 Commencement This instrument commences on 28 November 2016. 3 Authority This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. 4 Revocation The Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation No. 66 of 2008 made under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA is revoked. 5 Application This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies. 6 Definitions The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument. 7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates (1) This Statement of Principles is about animal envenomation and death from animal envenomation. Meaning of animal envenomation (2) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, animal envenomation means experiencing the toxic or hypersensitivity effects of contact with animal venom. (3) While animal envenomation attracts ICD‑10‑AM code T63, X20-X25, X26, X27 or X29, excluding specified and unspecified plants in X26 and X29, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of animal envenomation 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), Ninth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2015, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978‑1‑76007‑020‑5. Death from animal envenomation (5) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, animal envenomation, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's animal envenomation. Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. 8 Basis for determining the factors The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical‑scientific evidence that indicates that animal envenomation and death from animal envenomation can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA. Note: relevant service is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. 9 Factors that must exist 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 animal envenomation or death from animal envenomation with the circumstances of a person's relevant service: (1) having external contact with venom from a venomous animal at the time of the clinical onset of animal envenomation; Note: venomous animal is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. (2) having internal absorption of venom from a venomous animal, by means of a bite, sting or injection, within the three days before the clinical onset of animal envenomation; Note: venomous animal is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. (3) having internal absorption of venom from a tick of the family Ixodidae within the 12 days before the clinical onset of animal envenomation; (4) inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for animal envenomation. 10 Relationship to service (1) The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person. (2) The factor set out in subsection 9(4) applies only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, animal envenomation where the person's animal envenomation was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person's relevant service. 11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles In this Statement of Principles: (1) if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and (2) that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA; then the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.