Before liability can be accepted for an injury sustained or a disease contracted by a person or the death of a person it must be established that the injury, disease or death is a 'service injury', 'service disease' or 'service death'.  This is achieved via one of the heads of liability that apply under the MRCA.  These concern the various connections that can be established between an injury, disease, or death and relevant defence service rendered by the person – the service relationship.