Presumptive Lists
In order to assist with the resolution of War Disablement Pension claims, presumptive lists have been introduced. These lists allow for the automatic acceptance of certain disabilities for a War Disablement Pension if you have served in certain theatres. These lists are based on medical and scientific research which indicates that if a veteran of one of these theatres is suffering from one of the disabilities on the presumptive list for that theatre, it is likely that the disability is attributable to the veteran’s service.
If you have been diagnosed as having one of the disabilities which appear on a list that corresponds with your theatre of service, this disability will be accepted automatically as attributable to your service.
Former Prisoners of War
If you were imprisoned as a prisoner of war for any length of time during World War II, the following disabilities are presumed to be attributable to service:
- Psychosis
- Any of the anxiety states
- Dysthymia
- Organic residuals of frostbite
- Post-traumatic osteoarthritis
- Heart disease or hypertensive vascular disease and their complications
- Stroke and residuals of stroke
- Hypovitaminosis
- Beriberi
- Chronic dysentery
- Helminthiasis (intestinal vermiform parasites)
- Malnutrition (including optic atrophy)
- Pellagra and/or other nutritional deficiencies
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Cirrhosis of the liver
Veterans Exposed to Nuclear Radiation
The following disabilities are presumed to be attributable to service if you are a veteran of:
- J Force - the British Occupation Force of Japan between 1946 and 1952; or
- Operation Grapple - service on HMNZS Rotoiti and HMNZS Pukaki between 1957 and 1958; or
- Mururoa - service on HMNZS Otago on 22 July 1973 or on HMNZS Canterbury on 28 July 1973;
- All forms of leukaemia (except for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia)
- Cancer of the thyroid, breast, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, salivary gland, urinary tract (renal, pelvis, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra), brain, bone, lung, colon, and ovary
- Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Lymphomas (other than Hodgkin’s disease)
- Primary liver cancer (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis B is indicated)
Viet Nam Veterans
If you served in Viet Nam between 29 May 1964 and 31 December 1972, or were a member of the civilian surgical team at the Qui Nhon Provincial State Hospital Viet Nam from December 1963 until March 1975, the following disabilities are presumed to be attributable to service:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (including hairy-cell leukaemia and other chronic B –Cell leukaemia’s)
- Soft tissue sarcoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Hodgkin’s disease
- Chloracne
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Multiple myeloma
- Respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, trachea)
- Prostate cancer
- Acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- AL-type primary amyloidosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Ischaemic heart disease
Gulf Conflict Veterans
If you served in the Gulf Conflict between 20 December 1990 and 13 April 1991, the presumption of attributability applies to medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms that have existed for six months or more, such as:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome;
- Fibromyalgia;
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
Signs or symptoms of an undiagnosed illness include fatigue, skin symptoms, headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, neurological symptoms, respiratory symptoms, sleep disturbance, gastro-intestinal symptoms, cardiovascular symptoms, weight loss and menstrual disorders.
What evidence is needed?
In order for the presumption of attributability to apply the War Pensions Claims Panel will:
- Verify your service (War Pension Services will access your Service file directly).
- Obtain a medical diagnosis to confirm that your disability is one of the disabilities on the applicable presumptive list.
- Assign a level of disablement.
What do you need to do?
You need to complete an application form for a War Disablement Pension, indicating the theatre of service and the disability you are making a claim for.
Get your GP or medical specialist to confirm that you have the disability that you are claiming for by completing the part of the War Disablement Pension application form entitled “Doctor to Complete this Section”.
If your GP or medical specialist has any medical reports that are under 6 months old and relate to the claimed disability, please attach them to your application. This will speed up the process. If there is sufficient information supplied with your application, the War Pensions Claims Panel may be able to make a decision on your claim without the need to seek further information from your doctor or sending you to a specialist for an assessment.
If the Claims Panel needs more medical evidence in order to confirm that you have the disability on the presumptive list, or to determine what percentage War Disablement Pension to award, the Panel will write to your GP or medical specialist to find this out. If your doctor can not provide the information, you may be sent to a specialist for an assessment.
Previously Declined Claims
If you have one of the disabilities on a presumptive list which you are covered by but this claim has previously been declined as not attributable to your service, you are entitled to apply to have your claim reopened on the basis of the introduction of the presumptive lists.
To apply, you need to submit an application for reopening, along with medical confirmation that you are suffering from the disability on a presumptive list.