Almost every explanation of a rejected DVA claim on this site points to the same document: a Statement of Principles. It gets mentioned constantly and explained rarely. Here's what it actually is, who writes it, and why it matters more than almost anything else in your claim.
This article covers what a Statement of Principles is, the two standards of proof it uses, and why the answer is different depending on whether your claim sits under the VEA, the MRCA, or the DRCA.
What you need to know: Statements of Principles
Who writes it
The Repatriation Medical Authority, an independent panel of medical practitioners and scientists.
What it does
Sets the specific factors DVA must find before linking a condition to your service.
Where it applies
VEA and MRCA claims. Not DRCA claims, which use a different test.
What a Statement of Principles actually is
A Statement of Principles is a legal instrument, not a form or a guideline. It sets out the factors that must exist to connect a specific disease, injury, or death to military service. DVA cannot accept a claim on sympathy or plausibility alone. The decision maker must apply the relevant SoP and determine whether the applicable requirements have been met.
These documents are written by the Repatriation Medical Authority, an independent statutory authority made up of a Chair and four other members. Every member has to be a medical practitioner or medical scientist with at least ten years of experience, and at least one member needs five years of experience specifically in epidemiology. The RMA writes SoPs from the medical-scientific literature on a given condition.
Once made, a SoP is a disallowable legislative instrument tabled in both Houses of Parliament. It is binding on the people who decide your claim, including delegates who make the first decision and the review bodies that handle appeals. Where the SoP applies, decision makers must apply the relevant SoP. They cannot simply disregard the applicable SoP because the circumstances appear compelling.
The two standards of proof
Most conditions have two separate SoP instruments, one for each of the two standards of proof recognised under the VEA and MRCA. Which one applies depends on the type of service involved, not on which condition you're claiming.
| Standard | Applies to | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Reasonable hypothesis | Operational, warlike, non-warlike, peacekeeping, and hazardous service | Sound medical-scientific evidence must point to a causal association. The more generous of the two standards. |
| Balance of probabilities | Peacetime service under MRCA, and other eligible service under VEA | The evidence has to show it's more probable than not that a SoP factor caused the condition. |
Two veterans with the same condition can be assessed under different standards depending on their service type. This is one reason two claims that look similar from the outside can land on different outcomes.
This is why real conditions get rejected
A claim can be rejected even when your condition is real. For claims assessed under the SoP regime, the evidence also needs to demonstrate the specific factors written into the relevant SoP. A GP letter that accurately describes a genuine, serious condition can still fail a claim if it never addresses those factors or establishes the connection to service that the SoP requires.
Why this catches people off guard
Standard clinical summaries are written for treatment, not for a DVA decision maker. A specialist can write an accurate, thorough report and still miss the specific SoP language an assessor is trained to look for. This is the gap most rejected claims sit in.
DRCA veterans: this is new for you
Statements of Principles apply to VEA and MRCA claims. They do not apply to DRCA claims. DRCA liability was determined under the DRCA's own test. Statements of Principles did not govern DRCA decisions, although their factors could be used as guidance where relevant.
DRCA closed to new claims from 1 July 2026. If you already have a condition accepted under the DRCA, or you lodged a DRCA claim before 30 June 2026, this doesn't change anything about it. It's assessed under the rules that applied when you lodged.
What changes is any condition you haven't claimed yet. From 1 July 2026, a new claim for that condition goes under the MRCA, which means it now has to satisfy the SoP structure described above. That's a genuinely different evidential process, and worth understanding before you lodge.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
Your existing DVA claim is safe. Here's what actually changes on 1 July.
Who the MRCA transition actually affects, and what a new claim looks like from 1 July 2026 onward.
DRCA closed to new claims on 1 July 2026
How the DRCA and MRCA evidential standards differ, and what applies now to conditions you've never claimed.
What the DRCA deadline actually covers, and what it doesn't
Initial liability, permanent impairment, and the three simultaneous payment streams for ADF members medically discharging.
Record numbers. Does that mean your claim moves faster now?
Why a claim with more conditions genuinely takes more assessment work, and what that means for wait times.
Claims & Medical Evidence: Lavender Bear
How Lavender Bear coordinates the evidence audit and prepares a file built around the SoP factors assessors actually look for.
Sources
- Repatriation Medical Authority, "Who We Are" and "What We Do" (rma.gov.au)
- DVA CLIK, "What are Statements of Principles?" (clik.dva.gov.au)
- DVA CLIK, "Applying the correct standard of proof," MRCA Policy Manual (clik.dva.gov.au)
This article is general information only. It is not legal or financial advice. Lavender Bear is an independent platform and is not affiliated with DVA or any government agency. Consult a veteran advocate or DVA-accredited representative for advice on your specific situation.