For sons & daughters

Helping a parent file a RECA claim

If you're reading this for your mom or dad, you're in the right place — most claims start exactly this way. You can do nearly all of the work for them. Here's what to gather, what to ask, and the few things only they need to sign.

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Start the Free Check for Them Call 1-866-356-7322

The short version

You do the legwork. They sign.

Nothing about a RECA claim requires your parent to fill out forms online, sit through long calls, or dig through boxes — you can carry all of that. What can't be delegated is small and clear.

What you can do for them

Take the 60-second eligibility check on their behalf.
Be the point of contact for every call and email.
Gather records — or tell us what's missing and let us reconstruct it.
Sit in on the consultation with them (many families do it around one kitchen table).

What only they do

Review the finished claim before anything is filed.
Sign the authorization — nothing goes to the DOJ without their signature.
Receive the award directly if the claim is approved.

If your parent has passed away,

a claim may still be possible — a surviving spouse, child, or heir can file on their behalf. Read about survivor & heir claims →

Start here

Three conversations to have with Mom or Dad

A claim is built from three facts. You likely can't pull them from paperwork alone — but your parent can tell you most of it over coffee. Take notes; approximate answers are fine to start.

Where they lived — and when

Towns, addresses, the family farm, the years they moved. What matters is where they physically were during the testing years — roughly 1945 for New Mexico and 1951–1962 elsewhere.

Ask them"Where did you live growing up? What years were you there?"

The diagnosis

Which cancer, roughly when it was diagnosed, and which doctors or hospitals treated it. You don't need the medical records in hand — the names and places are enough for us to request them.

Ask them"Who treated you? Which hospital was it?"

Where the papers are

Birth certificate, old tax or school records, church registries, photo albums with dates. Missing papers are normal — lost records can usually be reconstructed, so don't let a thin folder stop you.

Ask them"Is there a box of old documents somewhere? Who else would remember?"

When you're ready to get organized, we'll walk you through exactly which records prove each fact — it starts with the free call.

Worth saying plainly

What this is — and isn't — for your parent

It is not a lawsuit. No court, no testimony, no suing anyone. RECA is a federal compensation program with a fixed, one-time award.
It costs nothing to find out. The eligibility check and consultation are free, with no obligation — and no upfront fees if you proceed.
Their pace, not ours. Calls happen at times you pick. Everything can run through you until your parent is ready to be involved.
They stay in control. Nothing is filed with the DOJ without their reviewed, signed authorization.

Start with what they remember.

Answer three questions for your parent — where they lived, the diagnosis, who'd be filing — and we'll tell you honestly whether a claim looks worth pursuing.

Start Free Eligibility Check Call 1-866-356-7322

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.