Pat Mildren
Email: pmildren@bigpond.net.au
20 January 2021
NEWSLETTER NO 1.2021
Hi to all.
Another one of our members has sadly passed away.
Wayne Laidlaw RIP
Wayne passed away on Sunday 07/02/2021 from Prostate Cancer.
Wayne was a member of Basic course 49 in 2981 and I believed at one time became an Instructor at the Amberley School. I offer my sincere condolences to all family and friends and ask as many as possible to attend his funeral.
Yes this another member who has passed on who most certainly suffered from Chemical contamination. May he rest in peace?
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION.
I have received a number of inquiries over the last few weeks asking if I had any updated information in reference to our claims. The answer is no, as I have stated in previous Newsletters this has now been accepted by the DVA Minister and a solution has been put forward for consideration at the next Budget scheduled for May. Rest assured that when this decision is handed I will be informing everyone immediately.
I have has several requests from members asking if they should make a claim so I would like to take this opportunity to answer several questions I have received.
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1.if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition the answer is a definite, YES
2. If you had not suffered this condition whilst serving the answer is, YES. It may be that the condition was bought on by chemical contamination or service work related condition.
3. Obtain the service of a qualified Advocate. Ask your Defence mates or you may make inquiries through various Service Organisations, RSL, RAAF Association, TPI Vietnam Vets,
4. If you have not already received a copy of your Service Medical documents the Advocate will organise this.
5. Have your GP provide you with a copy of all medical reports, (including Specialist Reports for your period since leaving the Service.
6. Have the Advocate make out a claim form for DVA including ALL recorded conditions. (Advocates will most certainly advise you of those conditions which do not have a Statement of Principal, (SOP) and that if will not be accepted. This is true however it is your right to make these claims and you should do so. There is a provision in DVA where these may be reviewed.
7. Supply as much supporting evidence that you have. Use the “Defence Firefighters Chemical Contamination Report” I recently sent to you. DR David Douglas produced this report on a request from DVA so it has been accepted.
8. Match your medical conditions with all of the chemicals listed as possibly causing that condition. E.g. You will find chemicals listed as causing blood and heart conditions. Ensure that you list these with the condition.
9. Endorse the first page of the claim with, “DEFENCE FIREFIGHTER” in bold lettering.
10. I have also developed a work chart listing climbing, lifting and carrying in relation to skeletal injuries which had been used in several claims accepted by DVA. If you have a claim for this I will forward this on to you.
11. You are not required to have overseas or active service to make a claim.
NOTE:
I am not saying that these conditions will be accepted every time however I have been informed by DVA that they will be reviewed. This is the foundation of our claims that are currently under review and the more members reporting these the better.
The second point I wish to make resolves around if a wife/partner in entitled to receive a Gold Card when the holder of a TPI or Gold Card passes away.
My understanding of this was that it was automatic.
This is not correct as even those with Active Service are required to have died because of a condition which has been accepted by DVA and this must be listed on their Death Certificate. For instance if a person has died and his death certificate lists a respiratory condition as the sole cause of death this would not entitle the wife/partner to receive the Gold Card. It is known that in many cases the respiratory condition and others may be bought on from a condition which had been accepted by DVA.
The answer is that it is vital that you have all medical conditions recorded. In a phone call to DVA within the last six months to check out what conditions I had accepted I stated that I would need to update this as I had recently had cancers which were not listed. I was informed that this was not required as I had a Gold Card and it would be passed on to my wife on my death.
This is NOT the case as I found out when I recently acted as an agent to a widow of a member who had Active Service and a Gold Card passed away and she had been denied the Gold Card. His death certificate listed a respiratory condition even though this was possibly bought on by Prostate Cancer which had been accepted. I was informed that her case may be reconsidered if she were able to get the Doctor who had signed the Death Certificate to include Prostate Cancer on the certificate. This is not proving to be an easy task in this instance.
There are two lessons to be learnt out of this;
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Ensure that you update all of your medical conditions with DVA as they manifest, and
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Advise your wife/partner that in the event of your death ALL conditions relating to this should be recorded on the Death certificate.
This is not a happy note to end on however these are details that everyone should be aware of. Please stay safe.
Pat
