Government Compensation for Nuclear and Beryllium Workers Delayed

The verification process has been slow, according to a recent report in the Seattle Times (March 3, 2002). From July 2001 until March 2002, the Seattle office of the program received 4,100 claims for compensation from Western states (1,200 from Washington). Only 85 of these resulted in final approval and compensation checks. Just under 900 claims were verified for employment and 493 were recommended for rejection. A total of 2,700 claims are in limbo. Many of the hardest cases involve workers who died in the 1950’s and 1960’s, leaving their children to document medical and work records that may be long gone. Many of the Hanford facility records have been assembled in a Seattle warehouse, but the process is not complete.

Former beryllium and nuclear workers and their families should consider carefully whether to seek compensation through the federal program. In addition to requiring a lengthy application process, the program provides an amount of compensation that may not be sufficient to meet the worker’s medical and long–term care needs. Also, once a worker elects to collect the government payment, he or she cannot also proceed with litigation.