If you are suffering from an impairment due to an injury or disease that you believe is either due to an event or; arising from your service as a member of the ADF, an Australian Police contingent or Merchant Mariner; then you may be eligible for treatment and/or compensation if that condition is determined to be due to your service. If so, you need to complete a claim for liability for an injury or disease.

If you are also wanting to request a reassessment of your previously accepted conditions, you can do so at the same time as this application. See the categories below.

If you have previously accepted conditions or are already in receipt of a Disability Compensation Payment under the VEA, and you believe that your current rate of payment should be revisited because your accepted conditions have become worse you should complete an Application for Increase (AFI) so that a reassessment can be arranged.

You can lodge an application for an increase in Disability Compensation Payment and a claim for liability (for an injury or disease) at the same time.

Depending on your period of Australian Defence Force (ADF) service you may be eligible for treatment of certain medical conditions at DVA’s expense, whether or not they were caused by your service. If you would like to apply for health care for non-service related medical conditions you should lodge an application.

Subject to providing a confirmed medical diagnosis in relation to one of the following conditions, treatment can be provided under DVA Repatriation Health Card (White Card) arrangements for:

• Malignant Neoplasm (Cancer); and
• Tuberculosis (TB).

From 1 July 2018, if you are a Reservist without continuous full-time service you may still be eligible for mental health treatment under NLHC, provided you rendered Reserve Service Days with one of the following:

• Disaster Relief Service (for example, Operation Vic Fire Assist)
• Border Protection Service (for example, Operation RESOLUTE)
• Involved in or witnessed a serious service-related training accident

A medical diagnosis is not necessary to receive treatment through a White Card for a mental health condition.

However, if you wish to receive compensation in respect of any of these conditions, you will also need to lodge a claim for liability. The liability claim may be completed at the same time as a 'treatment only' application or at another time if it does not suit your current situation.

The Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling is also available to provide mental health support. Open Arms is a free and confidential counselling service that can be contacted 24 hours a day on 1800 011 046, Open Arms is run separately from the DVA claim process.