Straight answers
The questions families ask us most — answered plainly. If yours isn't here, call 1-866-356-7322 and ask a person instead.
Is this legitimate?
Yes. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was passed by Congress in 1990 and is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice. It was expanded in 2025 to cover more communities, with a new filing deadline of December 31, 2027.
You don't have to take our word for it — the DOJ publishes the program details at justice.gov. We encourage every family to verify independently before working with anyone, including us.
Yes. Per the DOJ's own published figures, over $3.2 billion has been paid to more than 49,000 approved claimants since 1990 — and under the expanded 2025 law, 99.9% of claims decided so far have been approved. See the official awards-to-date numbers.
No. RECA Justice is a private claims-preparation service. We are not a government agency, we are not affiliated with the Department of Justice, and we are not a law firm. A licensed RECA attorney at Anderson Injury Law serves as attorney of record for filed claims.
Because the hard part isn't the form — it's the proof. A claim rests on records from 60–80 years ago: where someone lived, when, and a covered diagnosis. Many families no longer have those papers. Our work is reconstructing that history and assembling it into a complete claim package.
You can absolutely file on your own directly with the DOJ, at no cost. Families work with us when they want the legwork handled.
Information you share is used to evaluate potential eligibility and to contact you — nothing else. Please don't send medical records through web forms; we'll tell you when and how records are needed. Details are in our Privacy Policy.
Cost & payment
Nothing. The eligibility check and the phone consultation are free, and there is no obligation to continue afterward.
No. There are no upfront fees and no out-of-pocket costs. If a claim is approved and paid, the fee is a set percentage of the award — and federal law itself places a statutory cap on what any representative may charge. See the full cost breakdown.
Eligible downwinder claims may receive a one-time payment of $100,000. The amount is set by the law, not negotiated. Final eligibility and payment decisions are made by the Department of Justice.
The process
No. RECA is not a lawsuit. It is a claims program — you document where you lived, when, and a covered diagnosis, and the DOJ reviews the file. No courtroom, no testimony, no suing anyone.
Three things, in order: you pick a time and we call you — no surprise calls. We review your family's situation together and tell you honestly whether a claim looks worth pursuing. If you decide to move forward, we begin gathering records. Nothing is ever filed without your signed authorization.
It varies. Gathering records typically takes weeks to a few months depending on what survives; the DOJ then reviews claims in the order received. That's the practical reason to start early — the December 31, 2027 deadline is for filing, and a complete file takes time to build.
Then we tell you that, plainly, and you owe nothing. We would rather give a family a clear "no" than a hopeful maybe.
Records & family situations
No — incomplete records are the normal case, not the exception. Residence can often be reconstructed from school enrollment, church registries, county assessor rolls, utility records, and sworn statements from people who knew the family. On the call, we can tell you what counts and how gaps get filled.
Often, yes. A surviving spouse, child, or other heir may file on behalf of a loved one who has passed — including when the diagnosis and death happened decades ago. Read about survivor and heir claims.
Yes — this is one of the most common ways claims get done. An adult son or daughter gathers the history and handles the calls; the parent reviews and signs. Here's a short guide to helping a parent file.
Coverage depends on the specific area and time period Congress wrote into the law — statewide in Utah, Idaho, and New Mexico, and covered counties in Arizona and Nevada. If your family's history is close but not obviously covered, call us — the answer sometimes turns on details like a county line or a date range.
The fastest way to a real answer is the free eligibility check — or a phone call with someone who has handled hundreds of these claims.
RECA Justice is informational only and does not determine final eligibility. Final decisions are made by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prefer paper? Print this page and call 1-866-356-7322 when you're ready.