2.9 Catastrophic Injury Provisions

Catastrophic Injury (and Disease) Provisions for Household Services and Attendant Care Services

Policy Statement

This policy allows members and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) whose condition/s meet the definition of catastrophic injury (or disease) to receive compensation for Household Services and/or Attendant Care Services to a level reasonably required, without regard to the statutory limits that would ordinarily apply to these services.

Services funded through Catastrophic Injury Provisions remain subject to DVA’s Household Services Policy and Attendant Care Policy.

Authority

From 1 July 2026, all new catastrophic injury determinations will be made under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA).

Legislative authority is given under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation (Catastrophic Injury or Disease) Determination 2018.

From 1 July 2026, veterans with a current catastrophic injury determination made under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) can continue to receive Household Services and/or Attendant Care services to a level reasonably required, without regard to the weekly statutory limits until the renewal date identified in their current determination. This is because grandparenting arrangements have been applied. After this date, a new determination will be made under the catastrophic injury provisions of the MRCA. 

Intent

A Catastrophic Injury determination provides clients with access to Household Services and/or Attendant Care services on a needs basis, subject to assessment, without regard to the weekly statutory limit.   However, the determination does not guarantee a higher level of these services will be required by the client or funded by DVA.

Household Services and Attendant Care Services funded through Catastrophic Injury Provisions remain subject to DVA’s Household Services Policy and Attendant Care Policy – see ‘Related Policy and Legislation’ section of this page for more information.

Services that do not fall within scope of either Attendant Care or Household Services cannot be funded through Catastrophic Injury Provisions.  Even where a person has a catastrophic injury or disease determined, funding for relevant treatment, medical or allied health services should continue to be met though the DVA Health Card arrangements or mainstream services, as appropriate.

Eligibility

 A client can be considered to have a 'catastrophic injury' if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The accepted service-related condition or injury results in an impairment assessed by a FIM^TM credentialed medical or health care professional at a score of 5 or less on any of the items on the FIM^TM score sheet; and
2. The Commission is satisfied that according to criteria provided in the relevant instrument, the injury is:
   1. a catastrophic nerve injury; or
   2. a catastrophic brain injury (additional assessments may be required); or
   3. a catastrophic amputation injury; or
   4. a catastrophic burn injury; or
   5. a catastrophic blindness injury.

The Catastrophic Injury Provision Instrument provides detail on the scope of each condition type or presenting issues for the purpose of eligibility.  The conditions are based on the minimum benchmarks for eligibility to catastrophic traumatic injuries for the workplace accidents stream of the NIIS and are also equivalent to those contained in the motor vehicle accidents stream of the NIIS.

It is noted that what may be defined as a ‘catastrophic' injury by one agency (such as Department of Defence) can vary from the definition applied for this policy.  Conditions that are not within scope of the conditions of a catastrophic injury or disease (as per the legislative instrument) are excluded from being considered.

To be eligible for Catastrophic Injury provisions, a formal determination must be made in writing by a Commission Delegate and communicated to the client.  Any formal decision made by a Commission Delegate regarding the outcome of a catastrophic injury claim must be evidence-based as outlined in the Catastrophic Injury Guidelines.

Formal determinations must be made by Delegates with appropriate delegation authority.

 Related Policies, Legislation and Information

Policy

• Household Services in this Manual
• Attendant Care Services in this Manual

Legislation

• MRCA - Military Rehabilitation and Compensation (Catastrophic Injury or Disease) Determination 2018

DVA website

• Catastrophic injury or disease
• Household services
• Attendant care

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