Filing deadline: December 31, 2027. Claims are reviewed by the DOJ in the order received.

Covered Condition

Thyroid Cancer & RECA Claims

Thyroid cancer is one of the conditions the RECA downwinder program recognizes. This page explains, in plain English, how a thyroid diagnosis fits a claim — and what a family needs to move forward.

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

The condition

Thyroid cancer is a recognized covered condition under RECA's downwinder provisions.

What matters

A medical record documenting the diagnosis — not proof that fallout caused it.

Survivors

Spouses, children & eligible heirs may file.

Why thyroid cancer is on the list.

Radioactive iodine released during nuclear testing concentrates in the thyroid gland, which is one reason thyroid cancer is among the conditions the program recognizes. For a claim, you do not need to prove fallout caused the cancer — the file documents the eligible area, period, and diagnosis.

How a thyroid diagnosis fits a claim

RECA is not a lawsuit — it is a federal compensation program. A claim involving thyroid cancer generally turns on three things:

  • Affected area. The exposed person lived in a covered downwinder area — statewide in Utah, Idaho, and New Mexico, or a covered county in Arizona or Nevada.
  • Qualifying period. Presence during the covered testing period for that area.
  • Covered diagnosis. A medical record documents thyroid cancer — a recognized covered condition.

Records that help a thyroid claim

You don't need everything at once. Start with what you know — we help reconstruct the rest.

  • Pathology or diagnosis records confirming the thyroid cancer.
  • Treatment records — surgery, radioactive-iodine therapy, or oncology notes — that document the diagnosis.
  • Old addresses in a covered area, supported by school, tax, church, employment, or family records.
  • Government ID and basic claimant information.
  • Death, marriage, or birth certificates for survivor and heir claims.

How a claim comes together, step by step

1

Free eligibility screen

We ask where the exposed person lived, confirm the thyroid diagnosis, and find out who would be filing.

2

Document collection

We help identify residency proof, the diagnosis and treatment records, identity documents, and survivor paperwork — organized into one file.

3

Attorney filing

A licensed RECA attorney reviews and files the completed claim with the Department of Justice.

Keep your records private

Do not send full medical records through any website form. Intake collects only basic screening details; sensitive documents are handled through a secure document workflow.

Thyroid is one of many

Other covered cancers and blood cancers.

If your family member had a different diagnosis, it may still be covered. The program recognizes many internal cancers and blood cancers — thyroid is just one.

The list of covered conditions is set by U.S. Department of Justice RECA guidance. This page is informational and does not determine final eligibility — the covered area, period, and a documented diagnosis all apply.

Start with the diagnosis

A diagnosis is the place to begin.

If your family member lived in a covered area and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, that's enough to check — the first step takes about a minute, with no obligation. We help turn the records you already have into a complete claim file.

Start Free Eligibility Check

Source: U.S. Department of Justice RECA covered-conditions guidance. This page is informational and does not determine final eligibility.