Hanford
The Hanford Site is located in a secluded area of Washington on the Columbia River. The site was first established in 1942. Hanford was the location of the first plutonium production reactor and was one of the largest nuclear production facilities in the country. The process of plutonium production was very inefficient, meaning it produced substantial amounts of water and solid waste to create a small amount of plutonium. The result of the production process at Hanford was massive amounts of radioactive waste, much of it stored incorrectly and contaminating groundwater and the Columbia River.
The workers at Hanford were often exposed to radioactive material and other hazardous materials, which can lead to serious illnesses and diseases including a wide variety of cancers. The EEOICPA was implemented to provide compensation for workers like those at Hanford. If you worked at Hanford and developed cancer or similar illness due to your employment, you can get free medical care if you qualify for benefits.
Twilight Health is here to answer your question about EEOICPA benefits and medical care options. Please contact us today to speak to one of our EEOICPA experts.
EEOICPA & RECABenefits
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been given to workers at nuclear facilities all across the US after the EEOICPA was implemented. Many Hanford workers have been awarded benefits because they were given Special Exposure Cohort status or SEC. As of September 2017, the EEOICPA has awarded:
- Part B Compensation: $750,878,734
- Part E Compensation (Includes Survivor, Lump Sum, Wage Loss & Impairment): $458,377,619
- Medical Benefits: $244,213,351
Because SEC status was granted to Hanford workers who were employed before 1973, you do not have to prove a direct link between your illness and your employment at Hanford. SEC status makes it much easier to qualify for EEOICPA benefits. If you are sick and you worked at Hanford, we encourage you to contact us now to learn more about applying for benefits. If your application is accepted, which is likely, you can get free medical care for your illness.
The Facility and Scope of Work
Hanford was significant in the development of nuclear weapons in many ways. It helped to produce the plutonium used in many of the nuclear weapons used by the US, including those tested at the Trinity Site and the Fat Man bomb detonated over Nagasaki.
Through the course of the Cold War, Hanford grew to include five plutonium processing complexes and nine nuclear reactors. Hanford was notable not just for what it accomplished, but for the mistakes it made in nuclear waste storage. The site had a number of failures in waste storage and is known to have released waste into the Columbia River and the air. Radioactive storage leaks at Hanford have been discovered as recently as 2012.
Compensation for Workers
For most nuclear and uranium workers, it is necessary to prove that the illness you suffer from was the result of your work at a nuclear facility. But workers from some facilities, often those that had a record of major of safety errors, are given SEC status. With SEC status, you only need to have an approved illness or disease to get benefits. Your chances of being approved for benefits go up considerably.
As a worker at Hanford before 1973, you have SEC status. That means you can apply and most likely be approved, and then get EEOICPA benefits—which include free medical care for the treatment of your illness. All of your doctor’s visits, prescription medications and more are covered by your benefits.
How Hanford Workers Can Qualify for Benefits
Even if you know you qualify for SEC status, it can still be overwhelming trying to apply for EEOICPA benefits. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. The team at Twilight Health is here to assist you. Just contact us at your earliest convenience and we will be happy to take you through the application process. Once you have your benefits, we can help you get exactly the care you need.
Please contact us now.