Part E Benefits

Compensation and payment of medical expenses is available to employees of Department of Energy contractors and subcontractors, or their survivors, who develop an illness due to exposure to toxic substances at certain DOE facilities.  Uranium miners, millers, core drillers, and ore transporters are also eligible for benefits if they develop an illness as a result of toxic exposure and worked at a covered facility under Section 5 of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).

Under Part E, a toxic substance is not limited to radiation but includes chemicals, acids, metals, and solvents.

Variable compensation up to $250,000 is determined based on wage loss, impairment, and survivorship.

Wage Loss

• Based on the number of years that the employee was unable to work or sustained a reduction in earnings based on an approved covered illness.

Impairment

• Is a decrease in the functioning of a body part or organ as it affects the whole body, as a result of an approved covered illness.

• An impairment rating is performed once the claimant has reached Maximum Medical Improvement.

• Impairment compensation is calculated at $2,500 for each one percent of whole body impairment.

Survivor Benefits

• Include compensation of at least $125,000.

• If the employee sustained wage loss as a result of an approved covered illness, and that wage loss was prior to Social Security Retirement age, additional compensation may be awarded.

• Eligible survivors may receive compensation if the employee's death was caused, contributed to or aggravated by the approved covered illness.

• Eligible survivors include:

• • A spouse who was married to the employee for at least one year prior to his/her death

• • If there is no surviving spouse, then compensation may be awarded to a covered child if, at the time of the employee's death, the child was:
    • Under the age of 18,
    • Under the age of 23 years and a full-time student continuously enrolled in an educational institution, or
    • Incapable of self-support.