Initial Liability Claims
An initial liability claim is the first step in every DVA compensation pathway. Before any payment or entitlement can flow, DVA must formally accept that your condition is related to your service. Until that happens, nothing else opens up.
DVA assesses initial liability by comparing your condition against the relevant Statement of Principles (SoP). A SoP sets out the factors that must be present for a condition to be accepted as service-related. Which SoP applies, and which factors are relevant, depends on your diagnosis and your service history.
Which Act applies depends on when and how you served. MRCA applies to service from 1 July 2004. DRCA covers peacetime service before that date. VEA covers operational and peacekeeping service. Some veterans have claims under more than one Act.
Who is eligible
You have a current diagnosis from a qualified medical practitioner
Your service history can be established through service records or statutory declaration
Your condition falls within the factors of a relevant Statement of Principles
For MRCA claims: service on or after 1 July 2004
For DRCA claims: peacetime or non-operational service before 1 July 2004
For VEA claims: operational service, peacekeeping service, or national service
How it works
Identify Claimable Conditions
We review your service history and medical records to identify every condition that may be connected to your service, including conditions you might not have considered.
Gather Service and Medical Records
We request your service records through Defence and gather the medical evidence needed to support your claim.
SoP Alignment and Statement
We align your evidence to the relevant Statement of Principles factors and draft your supporting statement linking your service activities to your conditions.
Lodge Form D9216
We complete and lodge Form D9216 with all supporting evidence attached. We monitor progress and handle any requests from DVA.
How Clear Path helps
We identify every claimable condition in your history, not just the ones you've already thought of
We draft your supporting statement using a structured methodology grounded in the relevant SoP factors
We gather service records and medical evidence and identify gaps before DVA does
We lodge decision-ready claims that give DVA delegates everything needed to make a determination
We manage DVA's correspondence after lodgement so you don't have to deal with it directly
Common questions
What is a Statement of Principles?
A Statement of Principles (SoP) is a legislative instrument issued by the Repatriation Medical Authority that sets out the factors connecting a specific condition to military service. DVA assesses your claim by checking whether the relevant SoP factors are met. Each condition has its own SoP, and some have multiple factors that can be argued.
What if my condition isn't listed in a Statement of Principles?
If there's no SoP for your condition, or if the SoP factors aren't met, you may still be able to claim under the reasonable hypothesis standard (VEA) or another provision depending on your circumstances. We'll advise you on the applicable standard and whether your claim has prospects.
Can I claim for more than one condition at once?
Yes. Most veterans have multiple conditions connected to their service. We identify and lodge claims for all applicable conditions at the same time rather than one at a time, which is more efficient and avoids unnecessary delays.
Ready to get started?
Book a free consultation and we'll walk you through what this means for your situation.
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