4.3.1 Interim Payments
Section 25 of the DRCA authorises an interim payment of compensation for permanent impairment where:
- The veteran suffers from a permanent impairment as a result of an injury, and
- The current degree of impairment is not yet stable and a final determination under section 24 is not yet appropriate, and
- The medical evidence confirms the impairment is expected to stabilise at 10% or more.
The payment of interim permanent impairment compensation ensure that veterans undergoing rehabilitative or active treatment and waiting for their impairment to stabilise can still access an amount of lump sum compensation.
Section 25 does not limit the number of interim payments which can be made with respect of a veteran’s injury. Determining multiple interim payments for one injury should however only be done where there is no other option, otherwise delegates should consider wherever possible determining a final payment of compensation under section 24.
Where a final payment of compensation is being determined following an interim payment, the amount payable will be the difference in any increase in the amount of compensation and what has previously been paid as well as the inclusion of non-economic loss compensation provided under section 27.