Laura J Taylor

RECA Attorney Focused Exclusively on Radiation Exposure Compensation Claims

          I am a RECA attorney who has supported cancer victims and their families in filing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act claims since 2002. RECA is a federal program that provides compensation to people who developed cancer or other qualifying diseases after exposure to nuclear testing fallout, uranium mining, milling, or ore transport. I have been preparing and filing these claims with the U.S. Department of Justice from my Prescott, Arizona office for more than 24 years, with over 2,000 RECA claims filed and a 97% approval rate.
          I represent all four categories of RECA claimants: downwinders, uranium workers, on-site participants, and individuals affected by Manhattan Project waste. If you had or have a qualifying condition and lived in a covered area during the covered times, you can file a RECA claim. If a family member has already passed away, surviving spouses, children, and grandchildren may file on their behalf. Many families do not realize that option exists. It does.

How I Handle RECA Claims

          My office is in Prescott, Arizona, but RECA is a federal program. You are not required to have an attorney to file a RECA claim. Many people file on their own, and that is their right. What I offer is 24 years of experience navigating the process, a direct working relationship with Department of Justice staff, and a fee structure that is capped by federal law.
          My fees are straightforward: a $200 filing fee upfront (covers document ordering, postage, and filing materials), a $400 processing fee charged only if your claim is approved, and a percentage fee of 2% on new claims or 10% on resubmitted claims, as permitted by federal statute. There are no hidden costs and no hourly billing.
          If you do choose to work with an attorney, they do not need to be licensed in your state to file a federal RECA claim on your behalf. I handle claims from all covered states and counties, including Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, and eligible Nevada counties. I will find a way to work with every client, whether in person, by phone, by videochat, by email, or by mail. You do not need to travel to Prescott.
          I have worked directly with Department of Justice staff on RECA claims since the early 2000s. Those working relationships, built over two decades and thousands of claims, allow me to navigate the RECA claim process efficiently and address issues as they come up. If your claim has hit a roadblock or you have received a letter you do not understand, I can help. I deal with these kinds of situations regularly.

The 2025 RECA Expansion: New States, New Categories, New Deadline

In July 2025, Congress reauthorized and significantly expanded RECA under Pub. L. 119-21. The new law added:

• Idaho (entire state, newly eligible)
• New Mexico (entire state, newly eligible)
• Utah (entire state; previously only ten counties qualified)
• Mohave County, Arizona (newly eligible)
• A new claimant category for Manhattan Project waste exposure
• New states and occupations for uranium workers (including core drillers and remediation workers in North Dakota, Oregon, and Texas)
• Increased maximum downwinder compensation to $100,000 (previously $50,000)

The RECA filing deadline for all claims is December 31, 2027.

          If you were previously told you did not qualify for RECA because of where you lived, that may have changed under the expanded law. If a prior claim was denied on geographic grounds, it may be worth revisiting.

Background, Credentials, and RECA Advocacy

          I earned my B.A. from Augustana College (1991) and my J.D. from Arizona State University College of Law (1999). I am licensed in Arizona (Bar #020031, admitted 2000) and Iowa (admitted 2025). Martindale-Hubbell has rated me "Distinguished," recognized for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
          I have advocated for RECA expansion throughout my career. In 2003, I addressed National Academy of Sciences representatives in St. George, Utah, pushing for the inclusion of Mohave County and other areas left out of the original law. I traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress directly for RECA expansion alongside downwinder advocacy organizations. I maintain ongoing relationships with advocacy groups across the covered states.

My RECA work has been cited in at least 12 media outlets across Arizona, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, and Missouri.

• An NPR affiliate (KAWC) featured me in a 21-minute radio interview alongside a Union of Concerned Scientists consultant on the downwinder justice movement. The host introduced me as "one of only a handful of lawyers in the country who processes RECA claims."
• A States Newsroom investigative series on nuclear testing and RECA quoted me as a national expert source. The series was syndicated to the Arizona Mirror, Utah News Dispatch, Idaho Capital Sun, Source New Mexico, Colorado Newsline, Missouri Independent, and other outlets.
• The Arizona Daily Sun quoted me extensively during the final days before RECA's June 2024 expiration deadline.
• The Salt Lake Tribune quoted me on RECA legislative strategy during the congressional reauthorization debate.
• Channel 13 featured my work in a segment titled "Progressive Women in Yavapai County."
  
   

Do You Qualify for RECA? Free Consultation

          If you think you or a family member may qualify for RECA compensation, I am happy to talk it through. There is no charge for an initial consultation, and I can usually assess RECA eligibility in a single conversation. Whether you are a downwinder, a uranium worker, a family member filing on behalf of someone who has passed, or someone who was denied under the old law, I can help you understand your options before the December 31, 2027 deadline. 

          Contact the Law Offices of Laura J. Taylor, P.L.L.C. for a free consultation.