{"id":"F2025L00494","name":"Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 39 of 2025)","slug":"statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":106290,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2025L00494-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 39 of 2025)","content":"![Commonwealth Coat of Arms](image.001.png)\n\nStatement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 39 of 2025)\n\nmade under subsection 196B(2) of the\n\nVeterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n\nCompilation No. 1\n\nCompilation date: 22 September 2025\n\nIncludes amendments: Amendment Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 77 of 2025) (F2025L01053)\n\nAbout this compilation\n\nThis compilation\n\nThis is a compilation of the Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 39 of 2025) that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 22 September 2025.\n\nThe notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.\n\nUncommenced amendments\n\nThe effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the Register for the compiled law.\n\nApplication, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments\n\nIf the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.\n\nModifications\n\nIf the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the Register for the compiled law.\n\nSelf‑repealing provisions\n\nIf a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.\n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Repeal\n\n5 Application\n\n6 Definitions\n\n7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n\n8 Basis for determining the factors\n\n9 Factors that must exist\n\n10 Relationship to service\n\n11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary\n\n1 Definitions\n\nEndnotes\n\nEndnote 1—About the endnotes\n\nEndnote 2—Abbreviation key\n\nEndnote 3—Legislation history\n\nEndnote 4—Amendment history\n\n  \n\n1.  Name\n\nThis is the Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 39 of 2025).\n\n1.  Commencement\n\nThis instrument commences on 19 May 2025.\n\n1.  Authority\n\nThis instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n1.  Repeal\n\nThe Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 65 of 2016) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2016L01145) made under subsections 196B(2) and (8) of the VEA is repealed.\n\n1.  Application\n\nThis instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.\n\n1.  Definitions\n\nThe terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.\n\n1.  Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n    1.  This Statement of Principles is about suicide and attempted suicide and death from suicide and attempted suicide.\n\nMeaning of suicide and attempted suicide\n\n1.  For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:\n    1.  suicide means the act of intentionally killing oneself; and\n    2.  attempted suicide means an attempt to intentionally kill oneself, but which has a non-fatal outcome.\n\nDeath from suicide and attempted suicide\n\n1.  For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, suicide and attempted suicide, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's suicide and attempted suicide.\n\n> Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.  Basis for determining the factors\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical‑scientific evidence that indicates that suicide and attempted suicide and death from suicide and attempted suicide 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.\n\n> Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.  Factors that must exist\n\nAt least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting suicide and attempted suicide or death from suicide and attempted suicide with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:\n\n1.  being a prisoner of war before clinical onset;\n2.  having one of the following clinically significant disorders of mental health at the time of clinical onset:\n    1.  acute stress disorder;\n    2.  adjustment disorder;\n    3.  alcohol use disorder;\n    4.  anxiety disorder;\n    5.  attention hyperactivity disorder;\n    6.  bipolar disorder;\n    7.  body dysmorphic disorder;\n    8.  brief psychotic disorder;\n    9.  conduct disorder;\n    10.  depressive disorder;\n    11.  eating disorder;\n    12.  gender dysphoria;\n    13.  obsessive-compulsive disorder;\n    14.  oppositional defiant disorder;\n    15.  panic disorder;\n    16.  personality disorder;\n    17.  phobic anxiety;\n    18.  posttraumatic stress disorder;\n    19.  schizoaffective disorder;\n    20.  schizophrenia;\n    21.  substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder;\n    22.  substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder;\n    23.  substance use disorder.\n\n> Note: clinically significant disorder of mental health is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n1.  experiencing a category 1A stressor before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: category 1A stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n1.  experiencing a category 1B stressor before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: category 1B stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n1.  having a person with whom one has a close family bond or a close personal relationship experience a category 1A stressor within the 2 years before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: category 1A stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n1.  experiencing the death of a person with whom one has a close family bond or a close personal relationship, within the 5 years before clinical onset;\n2.  experiencing the death of a parent within the 25 years before clinical onset, where the person was aged 18 years or younger at the time of the parent's death;\n3.  experiencing the attempted suicide of a parent within the 25 years before clinical onset, where the person was aged 18 years or younger at the time of the parent's attempted suicide;\n4.  experiencing the suicide of an individual of a similar age, with whom the person has a personal association such as a classmate, within the 5 years before clinical onset, where the person was aged 18 years or younger at the time of the associate’s suicide;\n5.  experiencing the death of a sibling due to suicide within the 15 years before clinical onset;\n6.  experiencing a category 2 stressor within the 10 years before clinical onset;\n\n> Note 1: A category 2 stressor can arise in a variety of circumstances connected with service. Such circumstances can arise during the course of service, as a result of separation from service and the conditions associated with that separation, and in the transition to civilian life in the years following separation.\n\n> Note 2: category 2 stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.  being a perpetrator of bullying within the 5 years before clinical onset;\n2.  having experienced as a child (under the age of 18) one of the following;\n    1.  serious physical, emotional, or sexual harm;\n    2.  neglect involving a serious failure to provide the necessities for health, physical and emotional development, or wellbeing by adults with obligations to provide such necessities;\n\nbefore clinical onset;\n\n1.  performing a self-injurious act, within the 10 years before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: Self-injurious acts may include cutting, burning, hitting or poisoning. The injury is done independently, without the aid of another person, and is severe enough for tissue damage (such as scarring) to result.\n\n1.  having a medical illness or injury which has resulted in a severe level of disability at the time of clinical onset;\n\n> Note: A person with a severe level of disability may need help with some or all activities of daily living (communication, mobility and self-care).\n\n1.  having epilepsy at the time of clinical onset;\n2.  having persistent pain, which is severe enough to interfere with daily living, for at least the 3 months before clinical onset;\n3.  having failed an academic examination or other academic assessment within the 30 days before clinical onset;\n4.  for persons 25 years of age and younger only, commencing a course of antidepressant therapy, or increasing or reducing the dose of antidepressant therapy, within the 8 weeks before clinical onset;\n5.  taking any of the following medications within the 14 days before clinical onset;\n    1.  angiotensin-receptor antagonists;\n    2.  antiepileptics;\n    3.  antipsychotics;\n    4.  atomoxetine;\n    5.  benzodiazepines;\n    6.  beta-blockers;\n    7.  bupropion;\n    8.  clofazimine;\n    9.  corticosteroids, other than topical steroids;\n    10.  interferons;\n    11.  isotretinoin;\n    12.  montelukast;\n    13.  opioid analgesics;\n    14.  raltegravir;\n    15.  varenicline;\n    16.  zolpidem;\n    17.  zopiclone.\n6.  taking mefloquine or chloroquine within the 6 months before clinical onset;\n7.  taking methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) or 4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)-phenylethylamine (25I-NBOMe) within the 12 hours before clinical onset;\n8.  having a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury before clinical onset;\n9.  having a concussion within the 5 years before clinical onset;\n10.  undergoing bariatric surgery within the 10 years before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: Examples of bariatric surgery include gastrojejunostomy, gastric stapling, vertical banded gastroplasty or gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis.\n\n1.  anticipating an imminent and permanent relocation, or the process of relocation, to a residential aged care facility at the time of clinical onset;\n2.  experiencing a potentially morally injurious event within the 10 years before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: potentially morally injurious event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.  experiencing intimate partner violence within the 1 year before clinical onset;\n\n> Note: intimate partner violence is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.  inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for suicide and attempted suicide before clinical worsening.\n\n1.  Relationship to service\n    1.  The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.\n    2.  The factor set out in subsection 9(29) applies only to material contribution to, or aggravation of,suicide and attempted suicide where the person's suicide and attempted suicide was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person's relevant service.\n2.  Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\nIn this Statement of Principles:\n\n1.  if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and\n2.  that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA;\n\nthen the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.\n\nSchedule 1 \\- Dictionary\n\nNote: See Section 6\n\n1 Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\ncategory 1A stressor means one of the following severe traumatic events:\n\n(a) experiencing a life-threatening event;\n\n(b) being subject to a serious physical attack, or assault including rape or sexual molestation;\n\n(c) being threatened with a weapon, being held captive, being kidnapped, or being tortured.\n\ncategory 1B stressor means one of the following severe traumatic events:\n\n(a) killing or maiming a person;\n\n(b) being a witness to a person being killed or critically injured;\n\n(c) being a witness to atrocities inflicted on another person;\n\n(d) witnessing human remains or a critically injured casualty excluding seeing a closed body bag or viewing a body in an open-casket.\n\n> Note: witness is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\ncategory 2 stressor means one of the following negative life events, the effects of which are chronic in nature and cause the person to feel on-going distress, concern or worry:\n\n(a) being a full-time caregiver to a family member or a person with whom one has a close family bond or a close personal relationship with a severe physical, mental or developmental disability;\n\n(b) being socially isolated and unable to maintain friendships or family relationships, due to physical location, language barriers, disability, or medical or psychiatric illness;\n\n(c) experiencing adverse prejudicial differential treatment or unequal access to opportunities based on membership to a particular sociocultural group (racism);\n\n(d) experiencing a problem with a long-term relationship including the break-up of a close personal relationship, the need for marital or relationship counselling, marital separation, or divorce;\n\n(e) having concerns in the work environment including on-going disharmony with fellow work colleagues, perceived lack of social support within the work environment, perceived lack of control over tasks performed and stressful workloads, or experiencing bullying in the workplace or school environment;\n\n(f) experiencing prejudice or discrimination based on gender, or behaviour or attitudes that foster stereotyped social roles based on gender (sexism);\n\n(g) experiencing serious legal issues including being detained or held in custody, on-going involvement with the police concerning violations of the law, or court appearances associated with personal legal problems;\n\n(h) having severe financial hardship including loss of employment, long periods of unemployment, foreclosure on a property or bankruptcy;\n\n(i) having a family member or a person with whom one has a close family bond or a close personal relationship experience a major deterioration in their health.\n\nclinically significant disorder of mental health means a disorder of mental health which is of sufficient severity to warrant ongoing management.\n\n> Note: To warrant ongoing management does not require that any actual management was received or given for the condition.\n\nintimate partner means a person who is or has been in an intimate relationship with another person.\n\nintimate partner violence means behaviour within an intimate relationship perpetrated by an intimate partner that causes or has the capacity to cause physical, sexual, economic or psychological harm. Examples include, but are not limited to:\n\n1.  violence;\n2.  threats;\n3.  harmful behaviours or threats of harmful behaviours directed towards a child, animal or another adult;\n4.  neglect where there is a relationship of dependence;\n5.  coercion;\n6.  stalking;\n7.  humiliation;\n8.  restriction of access to education, employment or medical care; or\n9.  isolation from family, friends or colleagues.\n\n> Note 1: intimate relationship is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n> Note 2: intimate partner is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\nintimate relationship means a relationship that involves emotional and/or physical closeness and interdependence between people. Purely commercial relationships are excluded from this definition.\n\nMRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.\n\npotentially morally injurious event means an event that transgresses a person’s deeply held moral beliefs and expectations.\n\nrelevant service means:\n\n(a) operational service under the VEA;\n\n(b) peacekeeping service under the VEA;\n\n(c) hazardous service under the VEA;\n\n(d) British nuclear test defence service under the VEA;\n\n(e) warlike service under the MRCA; or\n\n(f) non-warlike service under the MRCA.\n\n> Note: MRCA and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\nsuicide and attempted suicide—see subsection 7(2).\n\nterminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following:\n\n(a) pneumonia;\n\n(b) respiratory failure;\n\n(c) cardiac arrest;\n\n(d) circulatory failure; or\n\n(e) cessation of brain function.\n\nVEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\nwitness means a person who experiences an incident at the time it occurs and can give direct evidence of it. This excludes persons exposed only to public broadcasting or mass media coverage of the incident.\n\n> Note: Endnotes\n\n> Note: Endnote 1—About the endnotes\n\nThe endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.\n\nThe following endnotes are included in every compilation:\n\nEndnote 1—About the endnotes\n\nEndnote 2—Abbreviation key\n\nEndnote 3—Legislation history\n\nEndnote 4—Amendment history\n\nAbbreviation key—Endnote 2\n\nThe abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.\n\nLegislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4\n\nAmending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.\n\nThe legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.\n\nThe amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.\n\nMisdescribed amendments\n\nA misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section 15V of the Legislation Act 2003.\n\nIf a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.\n\n> Note: Endnote 2—Abbreviation key\n\n| ad = added or inserted                         | orig = original                     |\n| ---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |\n| am = amended                                   | par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)  |\n| amdt = amendment                               | /sub‑subparagraph(s)                |\n| c = clause(s)                                  | pres = present                      |\n| C[x] = Compilation No. x                       | prev = previous                     |\n| Ch = Chapter(s)                                | (prev…) = previously                |\n| def = definition(s)                            | Pt = Part(s)                        |\n| Dict = Dictionary                              | r = regulation(s)/rule(s)           |\n| disallowed = disallowed by Parliament          | reloc = relocated                   |\n| Div = Division(s)                              | renum = renumbered                  |\n| exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have | rep = repealed                      |\n| effect                                         | rs = repealed and substituted       |\n| F = Federal Register of Legislation            | s = section(s)/subsection(s)        |\n| gaz = gazette                                  | Sch = Schedule(s)                   |\n| LA = Legislation Act 2003                      | Sdiv = Subdivision(s)               |\n| LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003         | SLI = Select Legislative Instrument |\n| (md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment       | SR = Statutory Rules                |\n| cannot be given effect                         | Sub‑Ch = Sub‑Chapter(s)             |\n| mod = modified/modification                    | SubPt = Subpart(s)                  |\n| No. = Number(s)                                | underlining = whole or part not     |\n| o = order(s)                                   | commenced or to be commenced        |\n| Ord = Ordinance                                |                                     |\n\n> Note: Endnote 3—Legislation history\n\n| Name                                                                                                                | Registration                | Commencement      | Application, saving and transitional provisions |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |\n| Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 39 of 2025)           | 16 April 2025F2025L00494    | 19 May 2025       |                                                 |\n| Amendment Statement of Principles concerning suicide and attempted suicide (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 77 of 2025) | 8 September 2025F2025L01053 | 22 September 2025 |                                                 |\n\n> Note: Endnote 4—Amendment history\n\n| Provision affected                                              | How affected      |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |\n| Section 2……………….                                                | rep LA s 48D      |\n| Section 4……………….                                                | rep LA s 48C      |\n| Schedule 1 – Dictionary – intimate partner violence………...…...…. | rs No. 77 of 2025 |\n| Schedule 1 – Dictionary – intimate relationship...              | rs No. 77 of 2025 |\n| Schedule 1 – Dictionary – intimate partner.....….               | rs No. 77 of 2025 |","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument appears to be a standard replacement of an earlier 2016 Statement of Principles (No. 65 of 2016). The scope remains consistent with the original legislative intent under section 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986: establishing factors for determining service connection for suicide and attempted suicide under the reasonable hypothesis standard. The 2025 amendments (No. 77) refined definitions related to intimate partner violence but did not expand the scope beyond the original purpose of providing a medical-scientific basis for repatriation claims."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple defined terms (15+ definitions in Schedule 1) including nested definitions (e.g., 'intimate partner violence' refers to 'intimate relationship' which refers to 'intimate partner')","Cross-references between this instrument and other Statements of Principles (section 11)","Conditional time limits attached to factors (e.g., 'within the 5 years before clinical onset', 'within the 25 years before clinical onset', 'for persons 25 years of age and younger only')","Dual legislative framework application (VEA and MRCA — two different veterans' compensation schemes)","Specific medical and pharmacological terminology requiring specialist knowledge (e.g., 'methylenedioxypyrovalerone', 'Roux-en-Y anastomosis')","Exception in section 10(2) limiting the application of one specific factor (subsection 9(29)) to aggravation cases only","Note that the compilation includes amendments made within months of original instrument, indicating evolving regulatory landscape"],"plain_english_summary":"This Statement of Principles sets the \"reasonable hypothesis\" test for linking suicide or attempted suicide to Australian military service, creating legal presumptions that make it easier for veterans, peacekeepers, current and former defence members (and in some cases their families) to get compensation or support.\n\nIt matters because it lowers the evidentiary bar for claims by identifying service-related stressors, mental health and medical factors and traumatic experiences as grounds to presume a connection to service, simplifying decision-makers’ assessments."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Compared with a prior SOP (No. 65 of 2016) this instrument broadens and updates the catalogue of qualifying factors and definitions. The 2025 instrument adds or clarifies many social and medical contributors (for example a wider range of specified medications and surgeries, explicit inclusion of category 2 chronic stressors, childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, relocation to aged care, and look‑back windows tied to family deaths and attempted suicides). The Schedule also tightens and expands definitional material (e.g. intimate partner/relationship wording amended by a 2025 amendment). \n\nHowever, the SOP retains the core structural constraint that any listed factor must be related to the person’s relevant service (s.10(1)). That qualification narrows practical scope compared with the raw breadth of listed factors, but it does not remove the substantive expansion of circumstances that, if linked to service, will now raise a reasonable hypothesis. In short: the instrument has grown beyond the narrower lists used previously by enumerating more non‑operational life events and medical contributors while leaving the service‑connection requirement intact."},"complexity_factors":["Compilation replaces earlier SOP (repeals No. 65 of 2016) — requires cross‑checking previous instruments (s.4)","Applies to claims under two separate Acts (VEA s.120A and MRCA s.338) — cross‑jurisdictional application (s.5)","Large enumerated list of qualifying factors in section 9 (30+ distinct items including subitems)","Multiple defined categories in Schedule 1 (category 1A, 1B, category 2 stressor, clinically significant disorder, intimate partner violence, potentially morally injurious event, witness, terminal event, relevant service, etc.)","Age‑ and time‑limited windows vary by factor (e.g. 14 days for many medications, 5 years for concussion, 25 years for parental death where claimant was ≤18)","Cross‑references to other Statements of Principles when a factor refers to an injury/disease covered elsewhere (s.11) — requires multi‑instrument reading","Conditional limitation/exception for at least one factor (s.10(2) limits operation of item 9(29)), adding nested logic","Specific lists of medications and procedures (medication list in s.9(26); bariatric surgery examples in s.9(28)) requiring forensic/time verification","Definition‑heavy instrument: many operational outcomes depend on interpretation of Schedule 1 terms (e.g. clinically significant disorder, witness, intimate relationship)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument is and who it affects**\n\n- This is a medical‑evidentiary instrument (a Statement of Principles, or SOP) made under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. It is used by decision makers when handling claims that allege a veteran’s (or certain other members’) suicide or attempted suicide is connected to their military service. (See Application: s.5.)\n- It affects veterans, current and former members of the Defence Forces and Peacekeeping Forces whose claims for entitlements under the VEA or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) raise suicide or attempted suicide as the condition in issue.\n- The SOP is not a benefits law itself. It sets out the medical and situational factors that, if present, are sufficient to raise a “reasonable hypothesis” that a veteran’s suicide or attempted suicide is related to their relevant service. If a reasonable hypothesis is raised, the claim proceeds for further consideration under the VEA or MRCA; it does not automatically grant payment. (See Basis for determining the factors: s.8; Application: s.5.)\n\n**Mechanics — how it works, step by step**\n\n1. A claimant lodges a claim under the VEA or MRCA where suicide or attempted suicide is alleged to be connected to service (s.5).  \n2. Decision makers check whether at least one of the listed factors in section 9 existed before the clinical onset of the suicidal behaviour. The list includes medical diagnoses, specific life events, injuries, medications, surgeries, and other stressors (s.9).  \n3. The SOP requires that any such factor must be related to the person’s relevant service (s.10(1)). For one specific factor (item 9(29) in the instrument) there is a limiting rule: it applies only where the suicide/attempt occurred before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service and the service materially contributed to or aggravated the condition (s.10(2)).  \n4. If the required factor(s) and the required relationship to service are found, a “reasonable hypothesis” that the suicide/attempt is connected with service is raised. The claim then moves to the usual adjudication and medical causation assessment processes under the VEA or MRCA.\n\n**Key categories of factors (what the SOP lists)**\n\n- Severe service‑related exposures such as being a prisoner of war (s.9(1)) or experiencing category 1A/1B stressors (definitions in Schedule 1).  \n- A wide range of clinically significant mental health disorders present at clinical onset (PTSD, depressive disorders, schizophrenia and others — s.9(2)).  \n- Life events and social stressors with defined look‑back windows (for example, recent death or attempted suicide of close associates, category 2 chronic stressors, intimate partner violence, childhood abuse) (s.9(4)–(15), (24)).  \n- Medical conditions and treatments (severe disability, epilepsy, persistent pain, moderate–severe traumatic brain injury, concussion, bariatric surgery) and certain medication exposures (specified drugs within defined timeframes) (s.9(16)–(29)).  \n- Other specified behaviours and experiences (performing self‑injurious acts, perpetrating bullying, inability to obtain appropriate clinical management) (s.9(12), (13), (31)).\n\n**Official stated basis and how that operates in practice**\n\n- The Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA) states there is “sound medical‑scientific evidence” that suicide and attempted suicide can be related to relevant service (s.8). That is the formal basis for listing the factors in this SOP.\n- In practice, this means the RMA has pre‑identified circumstances and diagnoses which, if proven and linked to service, are sufficient to permit a claim to advance on the basis of a reasonable hypothesis rather than require claimants to adduce complex new causation evidence at the outset.\n\n**Who pays, who decides, and what changes behaviour**\n\n- Payment of benefits (if a claim succeeds) is governed by the VEA or MRCA and administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). This SOP only controls the gate‑opening medical/causation threshold used by DVA decision makers and medical panels.\n- The RMA decides the content of SOPs; DVA adjudicators, medical officers and review bodies apply them when assessing individual claims.\n- Behavioural effects: claimants and their advisers are incentivised to gather and present evidence that a listed factor existed and that it was related to service. DVA will request or require medical records, witness statements and other evidence to show the factor and its relationship to service.\n\n**Costs, incentives and implementation issues**\n\n- Evidence burden and administrative cost: many factors are time‑limited (for example, medication within 14 days, concussion within 5 years, death of an associate within 5 years). Decision makers will need specific dated medical, pharmacy and event records; assembling these increases compliance and adjudication costs.\n- Potential for increased claims: enumerating many social and medical risk factors may lower the initial evidentiary hurdle for claimants (a single qualifying factor suffices to raise a reasonable hypothesis). This can increase claim volume and demand for medical-legal assessments.\n- Relation‑to‑service requirement: every listed factor must be shown to be related to relevant service (s.10(1)). That constraint limits the SOP’s reach, but proving the relationship itself can be complex and create evidentiary disputes and delays.\n- Medical complexity and discretion: the SOP relies on clinical judgements (e.g. whether a disorder is “clinically significant”, whether a stressor is “category 2” and chronic). This creates implementation discretion for medical assessors and scope for differing expert opinions.\n- Concentrated vs diffuse impacts: benefits of a favourable SOP finding are concentrated on successful claimants (potentially significant entitlements). Costs — administrative burden and actuarial exposure — are borne by DVA and the government (diffuse taxpayers) and may be externalised to health services needed for further assessment and treatment.\n\n**Trade‑offs and risks**\n\n- Broader list of qualifying factors improves access to adjudication for claimants whose suicidal behaviour has multiple plausible contributors, but it increases adjudication complexity and demands clearer evidence of service linkage.  \n- Specific enumerations (drug lists, surgical procedures, look‑back windows) reduce some uncertainty but add technicality: small errors in timing or recordation can determine whether a factor is found.  \n- Cross‑application: where a listed factor points to an injury/disease that is covered by another SOP, that other SOP’s terms apply (see s.11). This cross‑reference reduces duplication but requires claim managers to consult multiple SOPs.\n\n**Practical implications for claimants and DVA**\n\n- Claimants should compile contemporaneous medical, pharmacy and service records, and evidence of life events that fall within the SOP’s time windows.  \n- DVA will need to ensure assessors understand the definitions (Schedule 1) and have clear protocols to determine whether a factor is both present and related to service.\n\n**Key sections to look at when using this SOP**\n\n- Application and scope: s.5 and s.10 (relationship to service).  \n- Complete list of qualifying factors: s.9 and the Schedule 1 definitions (category 1A/1B stressors, category 2 stressors, clinically significant disorder, intimate partner violence, etc.).  \n- Cross‑application to other SOPs: s.11.\n\n(Official rationale cited: s.8. Operational effect and procedural mechanics summarised from ss.5, 8–11 and Schedule 1.)"},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025","history":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-suicide-and-attempted-suicide-reasonable-hypothesis-no-39-of-2025/documents"}}