SA principal wants dementia compensation

A former Adelaide school principal who claims he developed dementia after the death of a student is fighting for compensation.

The 58-year-old man has been locked in a legal battle against the state's Education Department for more than two years.

A ruling published this week by South Australia's Employment tribunal revealed he first filed a claim in January 2018 after "mental distress" and "possible post-traumatic stress disorder" left him unable to work.

The department undertook its own investigations and in July of that year medical reports found his "cause of incapacity" to be dementia.

He was ruled ineligible for further compensation because the diagnosis was not connected with his employment as a school principal.

But the man argued his illness could be linked to the death of a student in April 2013.

He says he suffered PTSD as a result of the death - a condition which was then exacerbated by other stressful events that took place at work.

Crucially, he claims he developed dementia as a result of the PTSD.

In its latest ruling, the tribunal appointed the man's wife as his litigation guardian because of his "deteriorating level of mental capacity".

His case will return to court at a later date.