Supporting Veterans with DVA claims
Who we are
Australian Veteran Advocacy was started by Carrissa Ibbott after recognising that the support available through the existing volunteer-based ex-service organisations was insufficient to meet the needs of the many veterans trying to navigate the DVA claims process or interact with DVA to access their entitlements.
As a volunteer Advocate facing the prospect of having to turn away veterans seeking help, Carrissa investigated the private sector options available as possible supplementary resources: she discovered many businesses focused on providing support only for claims that could result in financial compensation, that large fees were common, that veterans were often expected do a lot of the preliminary claim preparation themselves, and that support generally ended as soon as compensation was paid.
Australian Veteran Advocacy's mission is to provide high-quality, low-cost, professional Advocacy support to veterans for all their DVA matters, from advice to full representation, regardless of whether there is any prospect of permanent impairment compensation.
In circumstances where a veteran does receive an offer of permanent impairment compensation following representative support provided by Australian Veteran Advocacy, a modest levy of 5% is charged, capped at $7,500. This cap is applicable to each veteran, irrespective of how many individual permanent impairment compensation offers they receive. In circumstances where a veteran does not receive a permanent impairment compensation offer, there is no fee for the representative support provided.
Australian Veteran Advocacy utilises its revenue for the expansion of its Advocacy services and is committed to donating 20% of proceeds to veteran-centred support organisations.
Carrissa Ibbott CSM
LTCOL (retd)
Director, Advocate
Military background
I joined the Army through ADFA / RMC in 1995. After three years at 21 Construction Squadron I streamed from Engineering to Personnel Management with roles in recruiting, training, career management and workforce planning.
Service highlights include:
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Deployment to Timor Leste in 2010 as the Force Engineer responsible for the closure and handover of Australian bases as part of our drawdown.
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Awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal in 2016 for the re-establishment of the ADF Gap Year program and other workforce planning initiatives.
Advocate experience
I was medically discharged in 2016 for a range of musculoskeletal issues and at that time started my own DVA journey. I quickly realised that good Advocacy is all about understanding legislation, understanding a veteran’s circumstances and linking the two for the best possible liability and compensation outcome.
Recognising that the qualities of a good Advocate were strongly aligned with my skill set from military personnel management, and eager to assist others in their DVA journeys, I became a qualified Advocate and have been volunteering in this role since 2018. I believe I have a unique background that allows me to support Veterans in this capacity to achieve the best outcomes from their interaction with DVA.
Prior to starting Australian Veteran Advocacy I was a volunteer Advocate and Secretary at the Veteran Support Centre, Belconnen.
Robert Forsythe
Director, Business Manager
Background and experience
I come from a commercial background and worked in the finance and petroleum industries for 15 years with a focus on data analytics, before undertaking my current studies in law with the intention to specialise in Workers' Compensation.
Both my sisters were injured during their military service and I saw the tremendous advantage of having a good Advocate when they were dealing with their DVA claims. Acting as Business Manager for Australian Veteran Advocacy provides an opportunity to help others access the highest standard of Advocate support.