RECA Eligibility & Downwinder Eligibility
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) established a program run by the Department of Justice that provides benefits for private citizens or workers who were exposed to nuclear testing and the uranium industry.
RECA claimants qualify for compensation by fitting two criteria. They must be located in one of the RECA covered areas and have one of the specified illnesses. If you answer yes to the questions below, then you may qualify for RECA. For more specific information on RECA Eligibility or Downwinder Eligibility you may contact us or visit the Department of Justice RECA website.
RECA Eligibility Question 1:
Did you or your loved one reside in or work in one of the RECA Covered Areas?
Uranium Worker States – you or a loved one must have been employed in the uranium industry between January 1st, 1942 and December 31st 1971 in one of the following states:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Idaho
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
- Wyoming
Onsite Participants – you or a loved one must have participated in a test involving the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device before January 1st, 1963 within the following sites:
- Pacific Test Sites
- Nevada Test Site
- South Atlantic Test Site
- Trinity Test Site
- Any designated location within a naval shipyard
- Any designated location within an air force base
- Other official government installation where ships, aircrafts, or other equipment use in an atmospheric nuclear detonation were decontaminated
- Designated location used for monitoring the fallout from an atmospheric nuclear test conducted at the Nevada Test Site
Downwinder – you or a loved one must have lived in one of the following areas for two years between January 21st, 1951 and October 31st, 1958 or the entire period between June 30th, 1962 and July 31st, 1962:
- Utah Counties:
- Beaver
- Garfield
- Iron
- Kane
- Millard
- Piute
- San Juan
- Sevier
- Washington
- Wayne
- Nevada Counties:
- Eureka
- Lander
- Lincoln
- Nye
- White Pine
- Clark County – townships 13 – 16 at ranges 63 – 71
- Arizona:
- Area north of the Grand Canyon.
RECA Eligibility Question 2:
Did you or your loved one develop one of the following diseases:
- Leukemia (not chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
- Multiple myeloma
- Lymphomia (other than Hodgkin’s disease)
- One of the following primary cancers
- Pharynx
- Brain
- Stomach
- Urinary Bladder
- Colon
- Thyroid
- Pancreas
- Female breast
- Male breast
- Esophagus
- Bile Ducts
- Liver (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis B is indicated)
- Gall bladder
- Lung
- Ovary
If you answered Yes to both questions above, you or your loved one may be eligible for compensation from the RECA fund. To learn more about eligibility and how to make a claim, please contact Markovits, Stock & DeMarco or call (513) 651-3700.