Statement of Principles concerning non fatal effects of electric shock and death from electrocution No. 149 of 1995 (Cth)

Instrument No.149 of 1995

Statement of Principles

concerning

NON FATAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC SHOCK AND DEATH FROM ELECTROCUTION

ICD CODE: 994.8

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1.         Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that injury from non fatal effects of electric shock and death from electrocution 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 injury from non fatal effects of electric shock and death from electrocution with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a)       suffering or sustaining electrocution or electric shock; or

(b)       inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for non fatal effects of electric shock.

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

(a)       the person’s non fatal effects of electric shock was suffered before a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b)       the relationship suggested between the non fatal effects of electric shock 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:

“electric shock” means the deleterious effects to the body caused by exposure to electricity but does not include the effects of lightning, and which attracts ICD code 994.8;

“electrocution” means death by electric shock but does not include death from lightning, and which attracts ICD code 994.8;

“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       Thirteenth        day of              April   1995

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of:   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN