Applying for Benefits

1. The first step to file a claim is to make an appointment with the U.S. Department of Labor Resource Center closest to the last facility where you worked, or near where you live now. A U.S. DOL representative will guide you through the paperwork and help you put together documentation to support your claim. Call the CWP Help Center if you would like help finding the appropriate U.S. DOL Resource Center.
2. Once you complete your claim paperwork, the U.S. DOL Resource Center will forward all of your documentation to a U.S. DOL district office. A district representative there will review your claim to determine if exposure to radioactivity or toxins at a nuclear weapons or uranium facility caused your illness and whether you qualify for financial compensation. If you qualify, the district office will issue payments and send you a U.S. DOL white medical benefits card that covers all medical costs associated with your qualifying illness.
3. If you qualify under Part B of EEOICPA, U.S. DOL will issue you a payment of $150,000. You may also be eligible for up to an additional $250,000 under Part E of EEOICPA.

While the claims process is straightforward, some claimants have difficulty finding work records. If a survivor files a claim, they may not have all of the information that’s needed because their spouse may have worked at a top-secret nuclear weapons facility. Even medical records can be hard to locate. You may want to consider engaging an advocate to help you if you have a complex claim. Advocates can charge a contingency fee of up to 10% of a claimant’s payment. The CWP Help Center can assist you in finding an advocate.