fbpx

Call Us Now: 716.208.3525

EEOICPA & RECA Attorneys

Stephens & Stephens has obtained over $60 million through the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and the Energy Employees Occupation Illness Compensation Act for our clients

Dee GodfreyDee Godfrey
18:49 12 Mar 24
I was astounded with the service I received from Mr. Hugh Stephens in regard to my husband's compensation claim. He was not only efficient, but also compassionate, and communicated clearly and frequently. Because of his outstanding efforts and expertise, I, who am now a grieving widow, am unexpectedly stabile and secure. I had little to do. He did all the heavy lifting. I'm so very grateful for his help. I'll always remember not only his professionalism, but also his kindness.
Audrey OgletreeAudrey Ogletree
22:19 09 Mar 24
From: Laurence OgletreeI received good assistance from Stephens & Stephens in submitting the recent claim for increased impairment benefits from the Energy Workers program.
Randy MooreRandy Moore
14:48 07 Mar 24
I was a machinist at Honeywell F.M.&T.and developed bilateral tinnitus and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. They helped me file a claim with EEOICPA in 2017. Stephen’s & Stephen’s was very good to work with, they take care of all the paperwork and help with any paperwork I receive from the Department of Labor. They stay on top of things helping with scheduling impairment reviews etc.I feel that without their help this would have been a very overwhelming process.I plan on still using them if any other illnesses occur due to my employment with Honeywell.
Mike DauzatMike Dauzat
15:54 02 Mar 24
I highly recommend Stevens and Stevens. Hugh Stevens and his staff are very professional and very friendly. They're extremely good at making sure you get the full amount of money you deserve. If you need a DOL lawyer, I highly recommend this team. I can't be more happy that I picked Stevens and Stevens.
Mary YbarraMary Ybarra
01:33 27 Feb 24
Stephen’s and Stephen’s has kept fight for my dad. Now they are fight for my mom. They are on top of things and I would recommend them to anyone who needs help and guidance with the Uranium mines.
Dianne HarperDianne Harper
01:02 17 Feb 24
Robert and I are very pleased with Mr. Hugh Stephens and all that he has done for us. From the first moment we spoke, we sensed that though Mr. Stephens exhibits sharp business acumen, he cares deeply about his clients and he has a huge heart.
Diane pontonDiane ponton
17:38 07 Feb 24
I tried to get others to help me with this claim, and it wasn"t until I hired Mr. Stephens that things started happening. I would recommend any one to get in touch with him . I would go to him again, if i ever needed to.
Judy LeonardJudy Leonard
22:26 06 Feb 24
I very much appreciate the successful litigation concerning my husband's Hanford work related illness. Stephens & Stephens LLP were thorough, caring, considerate, and fair during this difficult time.
Kenneth GKenneth G
18:23 03 Feb 24
Mr. Stephens was able to simplify an otherwise complicated lengthy process (DEEOIC) to file an initial claim as well as a claim for impairment benefits.
dave DONAIDdave DONAID
18:08 03 Feb 24
Frankie KnucFrankie Knuc
19:24 08 Jan 24
I had other attorneys hired in Cortez, Colorado and Grand Jct., Colorado to assist me with receiving my uranium claim, but they were not successful. I was advised by an employee of CNS of Stephens & Stephens, LLP good work. I contacted them & they took my case It was settled very quickly. I have been very pleased with this group & would advise others of their prompt service. I would recommend them to others. Respectfully, Frankie Knuckles
Rebecca ConsolRebecca Consol
19:57 22 Dec 23
My family used Stephen’s and Stephen’s for a settlement case. We were extremely pleased with all they did. They were very professional, easy to get a hold of, and invaluable when it came to answering questions and handling complicated Department of Labor issues and forms. They also did everything in a very timely manner. I have already recommended them to other people.
Thomas CliffordThomas Clifford
15:29 21 Dec 23
I have been represented by Hugh Stevens for several years now, He and his staff has made everything so easy for me. I had lung cancer from working in the uranium processing industry, they have opened so many doors for me and made dealing with DOL so much easier. They always answer my questions in a very timely manner. I have referred several other people to him and he has been able to get them through this process also. There are benefits that I was not aware of that he has brought to my attention and been able to lead me through the process of obtaining them. I would most highly recommend him to lead anyone through this process.
Lonnie killingHawkLonnie killingHawk
02:35 14 Dec 23
When I first contacted Stephens & Stephens I was at the end of my rope with DOL. Hough and his staff got me on track and handled everything with DOL and just made this process so easy. Do not know where I'd be with out them. They are able to communicate at a layman's level and understand the client. Would strongly recommend this firm.
Ruthy LyonRuthy Lyon
21:00 28 Sep 23
Our initial conversation with Mr. Stephens was productive & reassuring. His previous experience with similar cases was obvious and very helpful, in both asking us specific questions for clarification & also addressing our own questions. Breanna is also a great asset to their team.
James O'DayJames O'Day
15:07 13 Sep 23
I have referred several friends to Hugh Stephens and they were more satisfied than they ever expected. I would refer him with confidence to anyone in need. I trust when he speaks for me, for example, in court. He is a good communicator and a deep thinker. He is well respected in his profession. He handles environmental law, injury law, and medical malpractice. He is tactful and direct and knows what he is doing. He knows the legal briar patches well.
js_loader

EEOICPA Covered Facilities: Project Shoal Nuclear Explosion Site

The EEOICPA was passed in 2000. It provides compensation to workers who became ill as a result of their employment manufacturing nuclear weapons in the USA, as well as their spouses, children, and grandchildren. Project Shoal Nuclear Explosion Site EEOICPA coverage is available for qualified former Workers and their families.

Are you eligible for compensation? If you or a family member worked at this or another DOE facility and became ill, you may be entitled to compensation of up to $400K plus medical benefits. Call EEOICPA Counsel Hugh Stephens at 1-855-548-4494 or fill out our free claim evaluation, We can help even if you’ve already filed, even if your claim was denied!

Here, we have compiled publicly available information and documentation about the facilities covered by the Act to clarify how their activities relate to the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.

Project Shoal Nuclear Explosion Site

 
State: Nevada
Location: Fallon
Time Period: 1962-1964
Facility Type: Department of Energy

Facility Description: Project Shoal was an underground nuclear test explosion which was part of a program designed to improve the United States’ ability to detect, identify, and locate underground nuclear explosions. The Shoal test was conducted to determine the behavior and characteristics of seismic signals generated by nuclear explosions in specific geological formations and to differentiate them from seismic signals generated by earthquakes.

Construction for this shot began in late 1962. The shot was fired on October 10, 1963. Post-shot drilling began October 28, 1963; drilling and sampling of one vertical bore hole was completed on December 20, 1963. Reopening and sampling the USBM#1 bore hole was completed on January 15, 1964. Site deactivation of the Shoal Project began on October 28, 1963 and rollup was completed by January 31, 1964.

*On October 26, 1963, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) (now known as the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE)) detonated a nuclear device with a total yield of 12 kilotons at a depth of 1,204 feet below ground surface in the solid granite of the Sand Springs Range southeast of Fallon, Nevada.

Radiological contamination of groundwater resulted from the test. Today, scientists and engineers, contracted by DOE, are working to identify the risks where radiological contamination exists in groundwater, predict the movement of the contaminated groundwater, and define the extent of migration of the radionuclides released during testing.
*Source

Listing:
Project Shoal Nuclear Explosion Site is listed as a Department of Energy (DOE) site under the EEOICPA.

Compensation:
As of 05/10/2015, the total compensation paid under Parts B and E of the EEOICPA, including medical compensation, for workers suffering from the effects of having worked at the Project Shoal Nuclear Explosion Site is $655,889.

Project Shoal Nuclear Explosion Site Workers:
If you or your parent worked at this or any other DOE or AWE facility and became ill, you may be entitled to compensation of up to $400K plus medical benefits from the US Department of Labor. Call EEOICPA Counsel Hugh Stephens at 1-855-EEOICPA (336-4272) or fill out the form to the right, whether or not you have already filed a claim and even if your claim has been accepted or denied.

We can help with all OWCP (Federal Workers Compensation) claims, impairments, wage loss and health care. 2495 Main Street, Suite 442, Buffalo, NY 14214.

“Project Shoal” Nuclear Test newsreel Footage:

*project_shoal_nv_map

Site Description and History:
The Shoal Site is situated on 2,560 acres of withdrawn federal lands located within the north-central portion of the Sand Springs Range in Churchill County, Nevada. The town of Fallon is the largest populated area in the region and is about 30 miles northwest of the site. The region around the Shoal Site is sparsely populated; military installations, recreation, ranching, and mining provide the dominant commercial interests.

The Project Shoal underground nuclear test was part of the Vela Uniform program sponsored jointly by the U.S Department of Defense and U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), a predecessor agency of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Vela Uniform was a research and development program directed toward locating, detecting, and identifying underground detona- tions. The objective of Project Shoal was to detonate a nuclear device underground in an active seismic area to improve the United States’ ability to detect, identify, and locate underground nuclear detonations.

The Project Shoal test was performed on October 26, 1963. The test consisted of detonating a 12-kiloton nuclear device in granitic rock at a depth of approximately 1,211 feet below ground surface. Emplacement of the device was accomplished through a shaft located approximately 1,000 feet west of surface ground zero (SGZ). The shaft was mined to a depth of approximately 1,315 feet below ground surface. At that depth, a drift (a nearly horizontal tunnel) was mined approximately 300 feet west and 1,050 feet east, ending in a 30-foot vertical “buttonhook” where the nuclear device was emplaced. Re-entry drilling directly over the detonation cavity indicated that the Shoal device detonated as predicted, and a rubble chimney about 171 feet in diameter and about 356 feet high was formed above the shot point from the explosion. No radiation escaped to the surface during the underground nuclear test, and no further underground nuclear testing was conducted at the site.

Groundwater is present beneath the site at depths ranging from approximately 970 to 1,090 feet below ground surface. Groundwater moves primarily through fractures in the granite. Groundwater recharge occurs by infiltration of precipitation in the Sand Springs Range, and regional discharge occurs in the valleys.

project_shoal_nv_sub_layout

Surface Conditions :
Surface contamination resulted from the re-entry drilling activities at the Shoal Site. Contamination at the surface was identified as Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 416. Surface restoration was completed in 1998. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection approved the Closue Report on February 13, 1998, stating that no post-closure monitoring is required and no land use restrictions apply at CAU 416.

project_shoal_nv_cross_section

Subsurface Conditions :
Subsurface contamination resulted from the underground nuclear test at the Shoal Site and is identified as CAU 447. This CAU consists of the test cavity and the emplacement shaft. Because there is no known technology to remediate the remaining subsurface radioactivity, a groundwater flow and transport model was developed to estimate a contaminant boundary, or restricted region, surrounding the nuclear detonation. The contaminant boundary represents the maximum extent that groundwater contaminated with test-related radionuclides is estimated to migrate in 1,000 years. Through agreement with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, the contaminant boundary serves as the compliance boundary at the Shoal Site.

The original corrective action strategy for CAU 447 required the installation of monitor wells for validation of the groundwater flow and transport model and monitoring. The model did not validate and a new corrective action strategy is being developed for the site. This corrective action strategy will be negotiated with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.

Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program :
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has conducted a Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program (LTHMP) at and near the Shoal Site since 1972. The monitoring program consisted of collecting and analyzing groundwater samples for tritium and gamma- emitting radionuclides. The LTHMP sampling network currently consists of 11 on-site monitor wells and 6 off-site sample locations (three wells, two windmills, and one spring). Since its inception, analytical data obtained from samples collected at the offsite locations have indicated no detections of radionuclides from the underground nuclear test using conventional analytical methods. In support of these data, a more refined monitoring network is being developed for the Shoal site that will focus the monitoring to onsite wells.

Land Use :
The Shoal Site was withdrawn in September 1962 from the Bureau of Land Management for all forms of appropriation including mining and mineral exploration and was reserved to the AEC for the experiment. In Title XXX of the Defense Authorization Act of 2000, the surface of the Shoal Site along with the surrounding area was reserved to the U.S. Navy for testing and training for tactical maneuvering and air support. Under this same act, DOE retained responsibility and liability for subsurface interests. The region around the Shoal Site is sparsely populated; military installations, recreation, ranching, and mining are the dominant activities in the region. No residences or habitable structures are on the site.

Institutional Controls :
No institutional controls are required for the surface of the Shoal Site. A notice of restrictions associated with the subsurface is provided on a monument located near a borehole directly over the test cavity, now known as surface ground zero. The monument defines restrictions for excavation, drilling, and removal of material between elevations of 5,050 feet and 3,530 feet above mean sea level and extending to a horizontal distance of 3,300 feet in any direction from surface ground zero. The 1999 Navy land withdrawal also include restrictions to prevent drilling on the property, a requirement of notification of drilling on adjacent Bureau of Land Management land, and restricted access postings to discourage incidental intrusion. The subsurface will require long-term surveillance and monitoring because of radiological contamination in the test cavity.
*Source