A moderate to severe cerebral trauma

Alzheimer-type dementia - A moderate to severe cerebral trauma Factor

RMA definition

In the Statement of Principle for Alzheimer-type dementia the RMA has defined "moderate to severe cerebral trauma" to mean:

Structural injury or physiological disruption of brain function as a result of external force, manifested by at least one of the following clinical features immediately following the event:

(a)  loss of consciousness lasting at least 30 minutes or posttraumatic anterograde amnesia lasting at least 24 hours;

(b)  leakage of cerebrospinal fluid;

(c)  injury involving penetration of the dura mater;

(d)  seizures;

(e)  intracranial abnormality, including:

(i)   intracranial haemorrhage;

(ii)  intracranial haematoma;

(iii) cerebral contusion

(iv)  hydrocephaly; or

(v)   diffuse axonal injury; or

(f)  a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 12 or less.

In this definition, external force includes blunt trauma; acceleration or deceleration forces; blast force; or a foreign body penetrating the brain.

General information

If a person had a moderate to severe cerebral trauma he or she would have needed significant medical attention at that time.  Such medical treatment would normally be recorded in doctors' notes and/or hospital records.  However, if these records have been destroyed or can no longer be obtained and there is a reliable history of a moderate to severe cerebral trauma at a particular time, this generally will be accepted, unless there is contradictory evidence.  Obtain medical advice if it is unclear whether the claimed symptoms and treatment at that time can be attributed to a moderate to severe cerebral trauma that would meet the RMA definition, rather than to some other condition.

Last reviewed for CCPS 16 September 2011.

Investigative Documents

Preliminary questions [41436]

41239 there is some evidence that a moderate to severe cerebral trauma may be a factor in the development of the condition under consideration.

41336 the veteran has had a moderate to severe cerebral trauma at some time.

41531 the veteran had a moderate to severe cerebral trauma within the ten years before the clinical onset of Alzheimer-type dementia.

41449  the veteran has established the causal connection between the moderate to severe cerebral trauma and operational service for the clinical onset of Alzheimer-type dementia.

Clinical onset and operational service [41449]

41411 on operational service, the veteran had a moderate to severe cerebral trauma within the ten years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

41412 the veteran's moderate to severe cerebral trauma within the ten years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration, on operational service, was due to the veteran's serious default, wilful act or serious breach of discipline.

or

41413 the veteran had a moderate to severe cerebral trauma within the ten years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration as a consequence of an illness or injury which is identifiable.

41342  the identified illness or injury, which caused the veteran to have a moderate to severe cerebral trauma, is causally related to operational service.