New claim after a previously rejected claim
From 1 July 2026, if your claim was previously rejected under any Act, you may have a new opportunity to have your case reconsidered.
If your claim for a condition was rejected in the past – whether under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA), the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), or the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1998 (DRCA) – you may be able to lodge a new claim under the MRCA for the same injury or disease.
When you can make a new claim
To lodge a new claim for a previously rejected condition, all three of the following must apply:
- Your previous claim has been fully finalised.
- There are no remaining options to appeal that decision and the timeframe to appeal has expired.
- You have new additional evidence to support your claim.
What counts as additional evidence
New evidence may include new medical information, a changed Statement of Principles, additional and new witness statements or other new information that may be relevant to your claim and would result in a different decision.
The introduction of the new Presumptive Liability head of liability counts as 'additional evidence' for the purposes of a new claim. This means that even if your condition was rejected before, this new pathway may allow your case to be reconsidered if you meet the relevant criteria.
What happens next
If your new claim is assessed under Presumptive Liability but does not meet the requirements – either because your condition is not covered under the Presumptive Liability arrangements, or because your service does not meet the defence service criteria for that condition – and there is no other additional evidence to support the claim, your claim will be rejected.
If your claim is supported by additional evidence, it may be assessed under the other standard heads of liability.