When you’re exposed to radiation, it can impact your health and wellbeing for the rest of your life. Radiation exposure can shorten your lifespan, leading to cancers that can be difficult to treat. That treatment can be expensive, too, and those expenses can be difficult to cover.
Because of this, you may be due benefits under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). If you’re a downwinder and you believe you’ve suffered a type of cancer that may qualify for compensation, check out the details below and seek guidance from a lawyer.
Who Qualifies as a Downwinder?
First, what is a downwinder? This is a key category when proving you’re due funds under RECA.
Downwinders are people who lived downwind of nuclear testing sites between 1945 and 1962. These people may have been exposed to radiation as wind spread the dangerous substances across certain states.
Residents of certain counties in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona during these years may be eligible for funds through RECA. If you or a loved one was also a uranium miner, you may also have grounds for compensation under the act. Reach out to a lawyer if you believe you may have been exposed to dangerous toxins because of nuclear testing sites.
Cancers Eligible Under RECA
Once you know you qualify as a downwinder, you’ll need to determine whether you’ve contracted a condition that RECA covers. You may be eligible for thousands of dollars in aid if you suffered one of these conditions, so be sure to speak with your lawyer about your condition if you’re not sure you qualify.
Below are some of the primary types of cancers that may warrant payments through RECA, in addition to leukemia, multiple myeloma, and nonHodgkin’s lymphoma:
- Thyroid
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Pancreas
- Brain
- Colon
- Ovary
- Liver
- Lung
How Do I Prove I’m Eligible?
If you believe you may be eligible for benefits under RECA, you may need to prove certain details about your case.
First, you’ll need to prove you were a resident of affected areas during the right years. Evidence may include bills, deeds, and other documents that show you were living in that place at the time.
You may also need to prove that you were impacted by your exposure to radiation. You may need medical evidence that proves you were diagnosed with one of the types of cancers commonly found in those exposed to radiation. Once you’ve proven this, you may be ready to get your benefits
Seek RECA Payments with a Downwinders Lawyer
If you’ve suffered a type of cancer because of exposure to radiation, you may have grounds for compensation under RECA. But how do you know what your claim is worth, and how do you prove you’re due funds for your illnesses?
If you’re struggling to get funds under RECA, you may need help from the lawyers at Stephens & Stephens. Starting with a free consultation, we can help you determine what you’re due and how a lawyer can help you get your benefits under RECA. To get the help you need, reach out by calling 716-852-7590 or by completing the online contact form below.