Stephens and Stephens RECA attorneys represent eligible uranium workers who wish to file a claim for RECA compensation nationwide. RECA compensates uranium workers affected by certain specific illnesses linked to uranium mining activities. For you to be compensated, you must prove that you worked as a uranium miner, miller, ore transporter, core driller, or remediation worker for at least one year between 1942 and 1990. You must also provide a diagnosis written documentation showing that you suffered from certain specified illnesses linked to uranium exposure, including lung cancer, nonmalignant respiratory disease, renal cancer, or any other chronic renal disease, including nephritis and kidney tubal tissue injury. All these RECA claim requirements make it difficult for some claims to get approved. However, with the help of an experienced RECA attorney, you can obtain and submit the required evidence and have your claim quickly accepted.
What support does Stephens and Stephens RECA Lawyers offer?
Stephens and Stephens RECA lawyers have been assisting eligible RECA claimants in filing successful claims since 2010. Our experienced staff will help you through the claim-filing process until you receive your RECA and EEOICPA payments and medical benefits. We assist our clients in obtaining the required medical and employment records to file a successful claim. We also cover the cost of necessary medical tests, including chest x-rays and kidney function testing for our eligible uranium worker clients. We maintain constant communication with the Department of Justice and other relevant entities to ensure your claim is filed effectively and compensated within the shortest time possible.
What medical evidence is required when filing a Uranium worker claim?
For you to qualify for RECA uranium workers’ compensation, you must provide medical evidence of diagnosis and demonstrate that you contracted a covered illness during your employment as a uranium miner, miller, core driller, ore transporter, or remediation worker. You can present medical evidence in the form of chest x-rays, computed tomography scans, pathology reports, pulmonary function tests, and kidney function tests, depending on the type of illness.
You must also submit a written medical documentation from a qualified physician showing that, after that exposure, you developed lung cancer or a nonmalignant respiratory disease or renal cancer or any other chronic renal disease, including nephritis and kidney tubal tissue injury. Lung cancer refers to any physiological condition of the lung, trachea, or bronchus that is recognized as lung cancer by the National Cancer Institute, including in situ lung cancers. Nonmalignant respiratory diseases include fibrosis of the lung, pulmonary fibrosis, corpulmonale related to lung fibrosis, silicosis, and pneumoconiosis.
The physician involved must be employed by the Indian Health Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or be board-certified. He or she must also have a documented ongoing physician-patient relationship with the claimant. DOJ accepts medical evidence containing a written diagnosis of a covered illness made by a physician, accompanied by a written diagnosis and the relevant interpretive reports. The medical evidence you present is subject to a fair and random audit procedure by the Department of Justice.
Medical evidence for respiratory diseases includes:
Arterial blood gas study (ABG)
Blood gas analysis is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate the partial pressures of gas in blood and the acid-base content. The analysis provides a clear understanding of respiratory, circulatory, and metabolic disorders. It involves an explicit analysis of blood taken from an artery for partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), and carbon dioxide (PaCO2), or pH (acid/base). PaO2 indicates the oxygenation status, and PaCO2 indicates the ventilation status in cases of chronic or acute respiratory failure. Low oxygen levels and impaired alveolar gas exchange may indicate a non-pulmonary medical condition.
The ABG analysis is also an exceptional diagnostic tool for a group of diseases known as acid-base diseases (ABDs), such as severe sepsis, septic shock, hypovolemic shock, diabetic ketoacidosis, renal tubular acidosis, chronic respiratory failure, chronic heart failure, and diverse metabolic diseases.
As an alternative to an arterial blood gas study, you can submit a written diagnosis by a qualified physician, accompanied by the following interpretive reports:
- A chest x-ray administered following standard techniques and the interpretive reports of a maximum of two National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety certified ‘B’ readers classifying the existence of the nonmalignant respiratory disease of category 1/0 or higher according to a 1989 report of the International Labor Office or subsequent revisions
- High resolution computed tomography scans (HRCT scans), computer-assisted tomography scans (CAT scans), magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI scans), and positron emission tomography scans (PET scans), as well as interpretive reports of such scans
- Pathology reports of tissue biopsies: They provide detailed microscopic findings of lung tissue samples, infections, inflammation, and tumors, for diagnosis and treatment. Different biopsy techniques are used depending on the suspected condition, including needle biopsies, bronchoscopies, and surgical biopsies.
- Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) indicating restrictive lung function, as defined by the American Thoracic Society: Pulmonary function tests evaluate respiratory function in clinical situations where there are risk factors for lung disease, occupational exposures, and pulmonary toxicity. They are combined with relevant history, physical exam, and laboratory data to help reach a diagnosis. PFTs are also used to quantify the severity of a pulmonary disease, follow it up over time, and assess its response to treatment. They apply several procedures, including spirometry tests, measurement of lung volumes, diffusion capacity, respiratory muscle pressure, bronchoprovocation testing, and the Six-minute-walk test (6MWT).
Tests for kidney-related illnesses
We cover kidney function tests for claimants with kidney-related illnesses. Medical evidence required for kidney illnesses (chronic renal diseases, nephritis, and kidney tubal tissue injury) includes blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound scans, CT scans, or MRI scans. Imaging such as ultrasound scans, CT scans, and MRI scans may also be used to assess the level of damage to your kidneys or blockages. If you are claiming kidney cancer, you must provide a biopsy with a pathology report.
Kidney biopsy involves the removal of a small sample of kidney tissue, and the cells are examined for signs of damage. A kidney biopsy is often done when there are unexplained abnormalities in kidney function, urine, or blood tests, especially if there’s suspicion of unexplained kidney disease/damage or renal failure, nephrotic or nephritic syndrome, significant proteinuria or hematuria, and suspected glomerulonephritis, vasculitis, or interstitial nephritis.
Blood and urine tests measure levels of waste products, electrolytes, and proteins to evaluate kidney function. Blood tests, commonly known as Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), are used to diagnose kidney diseases. They measure the levels of a waste product (creatinine) in your blood and calculate the amount (in millilitres) of waste your kidneys should filter per minute based on your age, size, and gender. This calculation is known as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Healthy kidneys should filter more than 90ml/min. You may have kidney disease if your rate is lower than this.
Urine tests are often evaluated with eGFR for a more accurate picture of how well your kidneys are functioning. A urine test is done to check the levels of albumin and creatinine in your urine (albumin: creatinine ratio or ACR). They may also check for blood or protein in your urine.
Contact us for help filing a RECA uranium worker claim
Contact our RECA lawyer, Hugh Stephens, on his cell phone at (716) 208-3525 if you or a loved one suffers from a uranium exposure-related illness, after working as a miner, miller, core driller, ore transporter, or uranium mine/mill remediation worker for at least one year between 1942 and 1990. We provide free case evaluation and cover the costs of the required medical tests. Eligible uranium workers and their survivors are awarded a compensation payment of at least $150,000.