Thousands of people were involved in uranium mining in Washington between the 1950s and 1980s. These workers were exposed to uranium-related radiation, heavy metals, and silica dust, which increased their risk of developing respiratory illnesses, lung cancer, and kidney cancer. The federal government, through the RECA, provides compensation to affected uranium workers and their survivors. Those eligible for compensation must have worked in uranium mines or mills, as miners, millers, ore transporters, core drillers, or remediation workers between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1990. Eligible workers receive compensation of $150,000, as well as medical and impairment benefits, under the RECA and EEOCPA. The Act allows a claimant to obtain representation from a friend, an organization, or a certified attorney.
While you can file for benefits on your own, a RECA lawyer can help you file a claim faster and more efficiently. Also, only certified attorneys are allowed to charge representation fees. Claimants only pay attorney fees after their claim is accepted. You can contact our RECA attorney, Hugh Stephens, on his cell phone at (716) 208-3525. Our RECA lawyers have been representing RECA claimants in Washington and nationwide since 2010.
Uranium Mining in Washington
Uranium deposits in Washington occur in granitic rock or in metamorphic rocks intruded by granite. It was first discovered at the Spokane Reservation, Stephens County, in the early 1950s. This discovery by two tribal member brothers led to the establishment of the Midnite Mine in the region. Most uranium mining in Washington occurred at the Midnite Mine on the Spokane Reservation between 1954 and 1982. Dawn Mining Company operated the Midnite mine and mill in Ford County, approximately 26 miles northeast of Spokane. Thousands of tribal members worked in the mining, processing, and transportation of the uranium. Millions of pounds of ore recovered from the mine were used for nuclear fuel and weapons.
The mill processed a maximum of 600 tons of ore per day, reaching a production of about 3.1 million tons of ore during its operational period. The ore was processed using sulfuric acid leaching and ionic exchange extraction techniques, and the waste was disposed of in the tailings impoundments. Between 1992 and 2001, the mill processed water treatment sludge from the Midnight Mine to recover uranium. The mill was permanently closed after this extraction. The mining activities contaminated the Chamokane Creek surface water, which borders the perimeter of the now-closed facility’s tailings storage to the north and west.
Surface reclamation began in 2003, and the final multi-layer cover for the tailings impoundment (TDA-1 to TDA-4) was completed in 2017. The 1991 EIS dose analysis of tailings impoundment reported average activities for the tailings of 240, 240, 17, and 17 picocuries per gram of tailings for Radium-226, Thorium-230, Uranium-234, and Uranium-238, respectively. As of January 1, 2009, the Washington State Department of Health terminated the Midnite Mine license and transferred the mine to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Dawn Mining Company, LLC submitted an Alternate Concentration Limit (ACL) application (primarily for Uranium) in 2019 for the State of Washington to review.
There are two identified uranium groundwater plumes at the site, one plume emanating from the three contiguous, unlined, above-ground tailings impoundments TP-1 through TP-3, and another plume from the area in which ore was historically stockpiled at the site. The plumes extend to Chamokane Creek, on the Spokane Tribe of Indians’ lands.
Health Effects of Uranium Mining
Uranium mining-related exposures are associated with systemic toxicity, affecting pulmonary, hepatic, renal, reproductive, neurological, and bone health. Uranium exposure can occur externally or internally through ingestion, inhalation, or dermal contact. Uranium workers are primarily exposed to uranium through Inhalation and skin contact. Ingestion is also possible through contamination of food and water.
Inhaling uranium particulates can damage the lungs and increase the risk of chronic respiratory diseases or lung cancer. Uranium naturally breaks down through a process called radioactive decay to produce radon gas. Radon gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, and can accumulate in poorly ventilated mines. Radon gas decays into a series of short-lived radioisotopes known as radon progeny, which emit radiation more quickly, presenting greater health risks in the lungs than radon itself. Prolonged exposure to radon gas and its radioactive decay products (radon progeny) is associated with many health risks, primarily lung cancer.
Alpha particles released during the radioactive decay process cannot pass through the skin. However, they can cause long-term health effects if uranium is ingested or inhaled. Once inside the body, the particles can irradiate internal tissues, potentially disrupting DNA and increasing the risk of cancer. Organs mostly affected include the kidneys, lungs, and bones.
Uranium workers are also exposed to silica dust, which increases the retention of radioactive material in the lungs. Silica dust is also linked to lung damage through scarring and fibrosis. The damaged lung tissue impairs lung function and increases vulnerability to other lung conditions. Additionally, the combination of lung damage and radioactive exposure elevates the risk of lung cancer.
Since uranium is a heavy metal, it is also associated with chemical toxicity. Long-term exposure can cause uranium to accumulate in the body, causing kidney damage and dysfunction, which interferes with the ability to filter toxic substances and sustain fluid balance. When the kidneys lose the ability to filter waste from the circulatory system, the individual suffers from proteinuria (excessive protein in urine).
In addition, uranium is a chemical analog of calcium and can be readily deposited in bones, disrupting the mechanisms that control bone density and strength. Over time, this could lead to bone disorders and fractures. Uranium can also interfere with metabolic processes affecting the liver, which is critical in digestion and detoxification.
How do you file a uranium worker claim?
To be considered for RECA compensation, you must submit a completed claim form and proof of eligibility regarding employment and the covered illnesses. Specified illnesses include lung cancer, a nonmalignant respiratory disease, renal cancer, and any other chronic renal disease, including nephritis and kidney tubular tissue injury. You can submit a range of medical evidence depending on the type of illness. Proof of a respiratory-related illness includes an arterial blood gas study, chest x-ray, high-resolution computed tomography scans, pathology reports of tissue biopsies, or pulmonary function tests indicating restrictive lung function. For kidney-related illnesses (such as chronic renal disease, nephritis, and kidney tubular tissue injury), you can provide blood tests commonly known as Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), urine tests, ultrasound scans, CT scans, or MRI scans. Covered employment is often established by obtaining the worker’s Social Security Administration (SSA) earnings records. The Act allows for the combination of work histories (i.e., where the individual worked in two or more accepted positions) to meet the required one-year employment period.
In addition to medical and employment evidence, survivors must also provide proof of survivorship. Depending on the claimant’s relationship with the deceased, such evidence may include the individual’s death certificate, birth certificates, and marriage certificates. Payment is made to the living husband or wife of the individual if they had been married for at least one year immediately before the individual’s death. If there is no surviving spouse, payment is made in equal shares to all the individual’s children (natural, adopted, and stepchildren) who are living at the time of payment. If none of the above survivors is living at the time of payment, compensation is made in equal shares to the individual’s natural or adoptive parents. Grandchildren can also claim the compensation if none of the above survivors is living. Finally, the individual’s grandparents can claim compensation if there is no living surviving spouse, children, parents, or grandchildren.
Contact us for help filing a RECA uranium worker claim
A claimant can file a RECA claim on his or her own. However, the process might be complex, and the chances of success are low. This is especially true for cases where some of the required evidence is missing. Our RECA Lawyer, Hugh Stephens, can advise you accordingly and help you obtain the necessary evidence to file a successful claim. Our fee rates are defined by RECA, i.e., 2% of the amount you receive if your claim is accepted after the initial filing, and 10% for claims accepted after a denial. We don’t charge our RECA claimants for consultation services. Eligible RECA claimants should file their claim as soon as possible. The deadline for filing RECA claims is December 31, 2028, and an extension of this deadline is not guaranteed.