Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Claims
Helping Idaho Families Claim the Compensation They Are Owed
Between 1951 and 1962, the federal government detonated roughly one hundred nuclear devices at the Nevada Test Site, about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Winds carried radioactive fallout across the Northwest, and Idaho sat directly in its path. For decades, the cancers that followed in Idaho communities were treated as a tragic coincidence rather than a consequence of what the government had done in plain sight.
That changed in July 2025 when new legislation reauthorized and expanded the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), extending eligibility to residents of the entire state of Idaho. Qualifying Idahoans may now receive a one-time payment of $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice, and survivors may file on behalf of a family member who has already passed away.
Advanced Legal Planning guides Idaho families through this complex and deeply personal legal matter. We help you determine whether you qualify, build the record the government requires, and protect what you recover.
How We Can Help With Your RECA Claim
A Government Program, Not a Class Action: There is no lawsuit to join and no class to be part of. This is a federal benefit program, and the only way to collect is to file your own claim with the Department of Justice. That is where we step in and help.
Claims for You, a Parent, or a Grandparent: Many Idahoans exposed are gone now, but the claim is not. A spouse, child, or grandchild can file on behalf of a parent or grandparent who lived in Idaho during the testing years and later got sick.
We Know How Benefit Claims Work: We know the covered cancers and the proof the government accepts. If a loved one had any of the cancers listed below and lived in Idaho then, call us. Claims must be filed by December 31, 2027.
Planning to Protect What You Recover: RECA payments are not taxable. However, prior settlements or VA payments for the same illness can reduce the award. Unplanned, the compensation could also trigger tax traps and estate complications that shrink what you keep. We help you plan, so it lasts.
The Compensable Diseases Are:
- Leukemia
- Multiple Myeloma
- Lymphomas (other than Hodgkin’s disease)
- Primary cancer of the thyroid
- Primary cancer of the male or female breast
- Primary cancer of the esophagus
- Primary cancer of the stomach
- Primary cancer of the pharynx
- Primary cancer of the small intestine
- Primary cancer of the pancreas
- Primary cancer of the bile ducts
- Primary cancer of the gallbladder
- Primary cancer of the salivary gland
- Primary cancer of the urinary bladder
- Primary cancer of the brain
- Primary cancer of the colon
- Primary cancer of the ovary
- Primary cancer of the liver (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis B is indicated)
- Primary cancer of the lung
Rely on Advanced Legal Planning to Protect Your Family’s Future
Advanced Legal Planning, PLLC, is here for you. Contact us to discuss your Radiation Exposure Compensation Act claim and learn how we’ve helped Idahoans navigate complex, sensitive legal matters with compassion and understanding.