The Critical Injury Benefit is a tax-free lump sum award.
Eligibility details
Canadian Armed Forces members or military Veterans may be eligible if they experienced a severe and traumatic injury or acute disease which:
•was service-related;
•was the result of a sudden and single incident occurring on or after April 1, 2006; and
•immediately caused a severe impairment and interference in quality of life.
Severe impairment and interference in quality of life
For the purposes of the Critical Injury Benefit, at least one of the following must apply to you:
Amputation
•An amputation at or above the wrist or ankle
Conditions of less than 12 weeks
•Admitted to intensive care for at least five days.
•Hospitalized and received complex treatment.
Conditions that lasted 12 weeks or more
•Hospitalized
•Blind in both eyes
•Paralysis of one or more limbs
•Loss of control of kidneys, bladder or bowel
Conditions that lasted 16 weeks or more
•Required assistance with three or more of the following activities: eating, bathing, walking, toileting or transferring (e.g. from bed to chair)
Before you start
First time applying for a VAC benefit
You must confirm your identity with one piece of current and valid ID.
Acceptable documents include:
•Driver's licence (provincial)
•Provincial health care card (excluding Alberta and Manitoba)
•Certificate of Indian Status or Secure Certificate of Indian Status
•Vital statistics documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate
•Employee identification card (federal, provincial or municipal)
•Canadian passport
•Other provincial identification card
•Other federal identification card
Proof of identity is also needed for any spouse, common-law partner and/or eligible dependent child who may also benefit from the program.
If you are applying in person, you can take the original of an acceptable document listed above and VAC staff will photocopy it for your file.
If you are applying by mail, please photocopy one of these acceptable documents and attach that to your application. Please write the Veteran’s service number on the photocopy. Do not send original documents to VAC.