Statement of Principles concerning frostbite No. 166 of 1995 (Cth)

Instrument No.166 of 1995

Statement of Principles

concerning

FROSTBITE

ICD CODES: 991.0, 991.1, 991.2, 991.3

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1.         Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that frostbite and death from frostbite can be related to operational service rendered by veterans, peacekeeping service rendered by members of Peacekeeping forces and hazardous service rendered by members of the Forces, the Repatriation Medical Authority determines, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act1986 (the Act), that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting frostbite or death from frostbite with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a)       exposure of an area of the body to freezing temperatures immediately before the clinical onset of frostbite to that area; or

(b)       inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for the frostbite.

2.         Subject to clause 3 (below) at least one of the factors set out in paragraphs 1(a) and 1(b) must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3.         The factor set out in paragraph 1(b) applies only where:

(a)       the person’s frostbite developed before a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b)       the relationship suggested between the frostbite and the particular service of a person is a relationship set out in paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d) or 70(5A)(d) of the Act.

4.         For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“frostbite” means an injury to the skin and subcutaneous tissues and, in extreme cases to deeper structures of the body, from exposure to freezing temperatures, attracting an ICD code in the range 991.0, 991.1, 991.2 or 991.3;

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision, effective date of 1 October 1993, copyrighted by the US Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities, and having the Library of Congress number 77-94472.

Dated this       Twenty-fifth            day of              May          1995

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of:   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN