DVA Psychiatrist – Defence Reports Australia – DVA Mental Health Claim
Dr D’Souza has expertise in DVA Medicolegal Reports.
Have you had a psychological injury or become unwell as a result of your time spent in service with the ADF? If this has resulted in you being discharged on medical grounds, please contact Dr Sunita D’Souza,Psychiatrist an experienced provider of veterans health care.
Please ask your GP to fax a referral to Dr Sunita D’Souza, specifying it is for a DVA claim.
A DVA Mental Health claim is a claim made by a former ADF member for compensation regarding the treatment and rehabilitation of injuries or diseases linked to their time in service. These claims are intended to provide financial cover for the medical, hospital and associated allied health services linked with treating eligible veterans, their spouses and dependents.
If your condition is related to service before 1 July 2004, support is available under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA), Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) or Defence Act 1903
If your condition is related to service on or after 1 July 2004, support is available under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA).
A permanent impairment essentially refers to a disabling injury, disease or illness that prohibits you from engaging in regular activities.
Current and former ADF members who have an injury or disease as a result of their ADF service, and that injury or disease has left them with some permanent impairment, may be entitled to receive compensation for that impairment from DVA. This compensation is called permanent impairment (PI) payment.
DVA -Psychiatrist- Defence Reports- Mental Health Claim
2.7.2 Significance of an involuntary medical (J51 – J53) dischargeMedical discharges
A person who has been medically discharged is, virtually by definition, incapacitated for (defence) service. However, not all persons who have been medically discharged are incapacitated for (civilian) work.
The ADF requires, as a condition of continued employment, high standards of personal physical fitness and functional ability from its members.
ADF members must be capable of deployment to operational service and to reliably perform physically and mentally demanding tasks under combat conditions, in locations where there may be no medical support for an ongoing condition.
An injured member may therefore be medically discharged from the ADF for a failure to meet the high fitness and health standards for deployment, yet still be capable of earning an income in suitable civilian work.
This is because civilian work does not require combat readiness or the ability to serve in a war zone.
Nevertheless and regardless of the residual capacity for civilian work, a medical discharge provides a medical opinion that the person is incapacitated for the full range of requirements of Defence service.
Note: If you have been medically discharged, it is important to lodge a claim through MyService as soon as possible to access tailored DVA support programs, including rehabilitation services.
Open Arms can support your transition to civilian life. Call 1800 011 046 to find out what services and supports are available to you and your family during this period and beyond.
When you transition out of the ADF, it’s important that you start establishing links to health professionals. This will ensure you get the health and wellbeing support you need, and establish continuity of care.
Free mental health care through DVA
02 61836490
Wednesday & Friday
09:00 – 05:00
Metro 1, Unit 1
45 Gungahlin Place,
Gungahlin ACT 2912.