AustraliaI'm a military veteran with PTSD from service. How do I access compensation?
As a military veteran with PTSD in Australia, you can access compensation through the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, depending on your service period and circumstances.
What the Law Says
Australian law provides two main compensation schemes for veterans with service-related PTSD: the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) for pre-1 July 2004 service, and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) for service on or after that date. Both recognise mental disorders like PTSD as compensable conditions if linked to military service.
Under the VEA, 'injury' includes 'disease' and 'mental disorder', and PTSD is assessed as a psychiatric condition arising from warlike or non-warlike service. The law requires a causal connection between service and the condition.
The MRCA uses a 'no-fault' model: compensation is payable if a mental disorder (including PTSD) is 'caused or contributed to' by service, regardless of negligence. It covers rehabilitation, income support, and permanent impairment payments.
Both Acts require claims to be lodged with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), which assesses medical evidence, service records, and nexus statements.
Statutory Text‘injury’ means… (b) a disease; or (c) an aggravation of a disease… and includes… a mental disorder
— Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, s. 5 — Interpretation
Statutory TextA person has suffered an injury for the purposes of this Act if… the person’s mental disorder was caused or contributed to by the person’s service
— Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, s. 5 — Meaning of injury
What to Do
Gather medical evidence confirming your PTSD diagnosis and its link to service (e.g., psychiatrist report, DVA-approved clinician assessment)
Obtain your service records from the National Archives or Defence via DVA’s assistance
Lodge a claim online via the DVA website or using Form D927 (for VEA) or MRCA Claim Form (for MRCA)
Attend any required DVA medical examination and respond promptly to information requests
If your claim is rejected, request a review by the DVA Review Officer within 30 days
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.