Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022C00905:front:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022C00905
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 2902–5973

(Balance of Probabilities) (No. 12 of 2021).
     3               Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.
     5               Application
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
     6               Definitions
The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.
     7               Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
(1)          This Statement of Principles is about giant cell arteritis and death from giant cell arteritis.
Meaning of giant cell arteritis
(2)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, giant cell arteritis means a systemic autoimmune vasculitis that involves large and medium-sized arteries and principally affects the cranial branches of the carotid arteries.
             Note 1: Examples of affected arteries include the temporal, occipital, ophthalmic, vertebral, distal subclavian and axillary arteries, and the thoracic aorta. Typical clinical symptoms associated with the involvement of the cranial arteries include headache, visual loss and jaw claudication.
            Note 2: This condition is also known as temporal arteritis and cranial arteritis.
(3)          While giant cell arteritis attracts ICD‑10‑AM code M31.5 or M31.6, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of giant cell arteritis is that given in subsection (2).
(4)          For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Death from giant cell arteritis
(5)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, giant cell arteritis, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's giant cell arteritis.
            Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
     8               Basis for determining the factors
On the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that giant cell arteritis and death from giant cell arteritis can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans 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.
     9               Factors that must exist
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, giant cell arteritis or death from giant cell arteritis is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
(1)          having smoked at least 10