Individuals affected by the Manhattan Project waste and their survivors can claim RECA compensation if they suffered from certain radiation-related illnesses. If you would like to file for compensation, you can contact our experienced RECA attorney, R. Hugh Stephens, on his cell phone at (716) 208 3525. Those eligible must have lived, worked, or schooled in specific ZIP codes within Missouri, Tennessee, Alaska, and Kentucky for at least 2 years after January 1, 1949, and developed a specified disease.

For you to be considered for compensation, you must file a RECA claim with the Attorney General and provide the required proof of eligibility. A RECA attorney can help you obtain the necessary evidence and get your claim quickly accepted. Individuals affected by the Manhattan Project waste receive a compensation of $50,000 and medical benefits. Eligible survivors receive a payment of $25,000.

Eligibility Requirements for Manhattan Project Waste Claimants

A claimant filing a RECA claim must prove that he or she was physically present in an affected area for at least two years after January 1, 1949. The claimant must also prove that he or she contracted a specified disease after such period of physical presence. The Attorney General determines that the claimant has satisfied the applicable requirements before approving the claim. If the claim is denied, the claimant is allowed to request an administrative review of the claim by the Attorney General within a reasonable period. If the claim is not approved after review, the claimant can request a judicial review in a District Court.

Those affected by the Manhattan Project waste are awarded compensation of $50,000 and medical expenses in the amount of all documented out-of-pocket medical expenses (not covered by insurance or government programs) incurred as a result of the specified disease suffered by that claimant. For compensation to be issued, the claimant must submit contemporaneous written medical records, reports, or billing statements created by or at the direction of a licensed medical professional who provided medical care to the claimant.

Affected Areas

RECA specifies areas that were affected by the Manhattan Project waste. Only individuals who lived in these areas for two years after January 1, 1949, can claim compensation for specified illnesses:

1. State of Missouri, the ZIP Codes of 63031, 63033, 63034, 63042, 63045, 63074, 63114, 63135, 63138, 63044, 63121, 63140, 63145, 63147, 63102, 63304, 63134, 63043, 63341, 63368, and 63367;
2. State of Tennessee, the ZIP Codes of 37716, 37840, 37719, 37748, 37763, 37828, 37769, 37710, 37845, 37887, 37829, 37854, 37830, and 37831;
3. State of Alaska, the ZIP Codes of 99546 and 99547;
4. State of Kentucky, the ZIP Codes of 42001, 42003, and 42086.

A claimant can prove their physical presence in an affected area during the specified period by submitting a contemporaneous written residential documentation or at least 1 additional employer-issued or government-issued document or record that the claimant, for at least 2 years after January 1, 1949, was physically present in an affected area; other documentation determined by the Attorney General to meet these requirements.

Types of physical presence

A claimant is considered to have been physically present in an affected area if:

1. The claimant’s primary residence was in the affected area
2. The claimant’s place of employment was in the affected area
3. The claimant attended school in the affected area.

Specified Diseases

RECA lists certain diseases linked to radiation exposure from the Manhattan Project Waste. Claimants filing RECA claims related to the Manhattan Project Waste must prove they suffered from the following specified illnesses:

1. Any leukemia, provided that the initial exposure occurred after the age of 20 and the onset of the disease was at least 2 years after the first exposure.
2. Any of the following diseases, whose onset was at least 2 years after the initial exposure: Multiple myeloma, Lymphoma, other than Hodgkin’s disease, Primary cancer of the thyroid, male or female breast, esophagus, stomach, pharynx, small intestine, pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, salivary gland, urinary bladder, brain, colon, ovary, bone, renal, lung, and liver, except if cirrhosis or hepatitis B is indicated.

The claimant must provide a written medical report by a licensed medical professional, indicating that the claimant, after a period of physical presence in an affected area, contracted a specified disease. The claimant may also submit other documentation determined by the Attorney General to be satisfactory. The attorney general may also request additional information from the claimant or other relevant sources where necessary.

Manhattan Project Waste Survivor Claim

If the affected individual is deceased, eligible survivors may be entitled to claim compensation. For compensation to be awarded, the claimant must provide proof of survivorship, such as certificates of marriage and birth certificates, as well as evidence of physical presence and specified illness. Survivor eligibility takes the following order:

1. Spouse- The living spouse of the deceased individual receives a compensation of $25,000.
2. Surviving children- if there is no eligible spouse, all the children of the deceased are awarded $25,000, paid in equal shares.

Let us help you File a Manhattan Project Waste Claim

Did you or a loved one suffer from any of the specified illnesses after residing in an affected area? Please contact our RECA Manhattan Project waste attorney for help in filing a claim for compensation. While you can file a RECA claim on your own, the process might be draining, and the chances of success are low. Our experienced RECA lawyer will help you gather the necessary evidence to file a successful claim faster.