Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01693:front:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01693
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 0–3378

Statement of Principles
concerning
TRAUMATIC BRACHIAL PLEXOPATHY
(Reasonable Hypothesis)
(No. 1 of 2025)
The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

Dated                                                             17 December 2024.

Professor Terence Campbell AM
Chairperson
by and on behalf of
The Repatriation Medical Authority

Contents
1 Name
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Application
5 Definitions
6 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
7 Basis for determining the factors
8 Factors that must exist
9 Relationship to service
10 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
Schedule 1 - Dictionary
1 Definitions

 1.                Name
This is the Statement of Principles concerning traumatic brachial plexopathy (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 1 of 2025).
 1.                Commencement
              This instrument commences on 28 January 2025.
 1.                Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.
 1.                Application
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
 1.                Definitions
The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.
 1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
         1.           This Statement of Principles is about traumatic brachial plexopathy and death from traumatic brachial plexopathy.
Meaning of traumatic brachial plexopathy
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, traumatic brachial plexopathy:
         1.           means a physical injury to the brachial plexus; and
         2.           excludes:
                 1.             Parsonage-Turner syndrome (neuralgic amyotrophy);
                 2.          radiation induced plexus injury;
                 3.        thoracic outlet syndrome;
                 4.         cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy; and
                 5.           upper limb mononeuritis multiplex.
Note: There are a separate set of SoPs for thoracic outlet syndrome that may also be applicable.
Death from traumatic brachial plexopathy
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, traumatic brachial plexopathy, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's traumatic brachial plexopathy.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
 1.                Basis for determining the factors
The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical‑scientific evidence that indicates that traumatic brachial plexopathy and death from traumatic brachial plexopathy can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.
Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
 1.                Factors that must exist
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has