Military Compensation

Members of the Australian Defence Force who suffer an injury in the course of their employment are entitled to claim compensation.

Areas of entitlement include:

• Permanent impairment
• Incapacity payments
• Claims for lost allowances
• Medical expenses
• Rehabilitation
• Veterans Affairs pensions
• Death Claims

Entitlement to military compensation relates to injuries suffered in training, sport, travel to and from work and while deployed.

The benefits are tax free .

The governing legislation for injuries suffered after 1 July 2004 is the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (MRCA) 2004.

For injuries before this date, the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (SRCA) 1988 applied. This act was in force concurrently with the Veterans Entitlement Act.

For compensation to be payable, there must be a decision on liability in favour of the claimant.

Injured members are often dissatisfied with the initial assessment of liability or the assessment of the level of impairment.

MRCA liability and impairment decision can be reviewed in different ways and it is important to make the best decision.

An entitlement to claim compensation is a legal right . It is important to consider a Military Compensation assessment based on an understanding of the range of entitlements and the ramifications of accepting that offer.

Journey claims may also invoke the application of State laws and impact on entitlements.

If you are medically discharged from service, it is also necessary to understand the impact on your DFRDB or MSBS entitlements.