Depressive disorder - Category 1B stressor Factor
The RMA has defined a Category 1B Stressor to mean one of the following severe traumatic events:
- being an eyewitness to a person being killed or critically injured;
- viewing corpses or critically injured casualties as an eyewitness;
- being an eyewitness to atrocities inflicted on another person or persons;
- killing or maiming a person; or
- being an eyewitness to or participating in, the clearance of critically injured casualties.
And, an 'eyewitness', "a person who observes an incident first hand and can give direct evidence of it. This excludes a person exposed only to media coverage of the incident".
Case law
'Experiencing a severe stressor' has been the subject of Federal Court determinations and an Advisory Note. Whilst a category 1B stressor is not exactly the same, there are enough similarities for the following advice to be considered:
In assessing whether a particular event is a "severe stressor" as defined, it is necessary to consider both the objective nature of the event and the veteran's subjective knowledge about the event. The authority for this approach is the Federal Court decision in Stoddart, and you should read AN02/2003 Federal Court Decision Stoddart.
Last reviewed for CCPS 16 September 2011.
Preliminary questions [37324]
35935 the veteran has experienced a category 1B stressor at some time.
39681 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and VEA service for depressive disorder.
39676 the condition under consideration is major depressive episode, recurrent major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder or depressive disorder not otherwise specified.
37364 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and VEA service for the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
37366 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and operational service for the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
or
37367 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and eligible service for the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
or
7334 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred after the end of the veteran's last period of VEA service.
7335 the condition under consideration permanently worsened.
37365 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and VEA service for the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.
37368 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and operational service for the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.
or
37369 the veteran has established the causal connection between the category 1B stressor and eligible service for the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.
Clinical onset and operational service [37366]
37372 on operational service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37376 on operational service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor within the five years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
37380 the category 1B stressor that the veteran experienced within the five 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
37386 the veteran experienced the category 1B stressor because of an illness or injury which is identifiable.
37387 as a consequence of the identified illness or injury, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor within the five years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
37391 the identified illness or injury, as a consequence of which the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor, is causally related to operational service.
Clinical onset and eligible service [37367]
37374 on eligible service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37375 as a causal result of eligible service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37378 as a causal result of eligible service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor within the two years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
37381 the category 1B stressor that the veteran experienced within the two years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration, on eligible service, was due to the veteran's serious default, wilful act or serious breach of discipline.
or
37386 the veteran experienced the category 1B stressor because of an illness or injury which is identifiable.
37389 as a consequence of the identified illness or injury, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor within the two years before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.
37392 the identified illness or injury, as a consequence of which the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor, is causally related to eligible service.
Clinical worsening and operational service [37368]
37372 on operational service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37373 as a causal result of operational service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37377 as a causal result of operational service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor after the clinical onset of the condition under consideration and within the five years before its clinical worsening.
37382 the category 1B stressor that the veteran experienced within the five years before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration, on operational service, was due to the veteran's serious default, wilful act or serious breach of discipline.
or
37386 the veteran experienced the category 1B stressor because of an illness or injury which is identifiable.
37388 as a consequence of the identified illness or injury, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor after the clinical onset of the condition under consideration and within the five years before its clinical worsening.
37391 the identified illness or injury, as a consequence of which the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor, is causally related to operational service.
37393 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred prior to that part of operational service to which the identified illness or injury, as a consequence of which the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor, is causally related.
Clinical worsening and eligible service [37369]
37374 on eligible service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37375 as a causal result of eligible service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor.
37379 as a causal result of eligible service, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor after the clinical onset of the condition under consideration and within the two years before its clinical worsening.
37383 the category 1B stressor that the veteran experienced within the two years before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration, on eligible service, was due to the veteran's serious default, wilful act or serious breach of discipline.
or
37386 the veteran experienced the category 1B stressor because of an illness or injury which is identifiable.
37390 as a consequence of the identified illness or injury, the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor after the clinical onset of the condition under consideration and within the two years before its clinical worsening.
37392 the identified illness or injury, as a consequence of which the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor, is causally related to eligible service.
37394 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred prior to that part of eligible service to which the identified illness or injury, as a consequence of which the veteran experienced a category 1B stressor, is causally related.