Those who qualify for Radiation Exposure Compensation Act could receive thousands of dollars to help with medical costs.

CLINTON, Tenn. — People in Anderson, Roane and Morgan counties could receive thousands of dollars from the Department of Justice’s Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. 

The program has made its way through other states, but has recently been rolled out in East Tennessee. 

“You can simply have worked part of your life, you (may) have went to school. We just have to provide 24 months of consistent proof that you have been a resident of one of the eligible counties,” said Danielle Hatmaker, the RECA Claims Specialist at Burrell & Varsalona Law Office. 

The program requires people to have lived, worked or gone to school in Manhattan Project-affected areas, and they must be diagnosed with one of the qualifying illnesses: Leukemia (if exposure occurred after age 20), Lymphomas (other than Hodgkin’s disease), Multiple myeloma. 

Primary cancers of the: Thyroid, Male or Female breast, Esophagus, Stomach, Pharynx, Small intestine, Pancreas, Bile ducts, Gallbladder, Salivary gland, Urinary bladder, Brain, Colon, Ovary, Liver (except if Cirrhosis/Hepatitis B is indicated), Lung, Bone, Kidney (renal).

“For people who are still here with us, and they can file on behalf of themselves, they’re eligible for $50,000. For family members who have passed on, whether that be a spouse, a parent, those particular claimants are going to be eligible for $25,000,” Hatmaker said. 

The team at Burrell & Varsalona said a lot of people don’t know about this program yet, which is why they’re trying to spread the word to their neighbors. 

“It’s for a lot of people, life-changing money to compensate them for the out-of-pocket medical expenses that they’ve had due to these illnesses or cancers,” said Elizabeth Burrell, Managing Partner at Burrell and Varsalona.

And they’re looking forward to helping their community. 

“We know that this money is going to be life-changing for a lot of people in our community and it’s really special to be a part of it. Just a small part of it, for these people who have been through so much and now we’re able to help them just a little bit,” said Emelia Yelencich, Associate Attorney at Burrell and Varsalona.

If you think you may qualify, you can reach out to Burrell & Varsalona at (865)463-6010 or email danielle@bvlawtn.com.