How to file an EEOICPA claim — step by step.

The complete filing process.

1. 1
   Documentation — start early

   Request your employment and radiation records

   These requests take weeks to months. Start before you complete your forms.

   • DOE Personnel Records: Call 1-800-481-0969 or write to the DOE records center for your facility
   • NIOSH radiation dosimetry records: Request via cdc.gov/niosh/ocas — required for all cancer claims
   • Employer payroll records: Contact your former employer's HR or pension department
   • Union records: Many unions maintained exposure and employment logs — contact your union's benefits office
   • Social Security earnings records: Needed for Part E wage-loss calculation — request at ssa.gov
2. 2
   Medical records

   Get the right medical documentation

   OWCP requires specific medical evidence. A general diagnosis is not enough.

   For cancer claims (Part B)

   • Pathology report confirming cancer type and date of diagnosis
   • Physician report stating the diagnosis and treatment history
   • Probability of causation statement (≥50%) — your doctor must state the cancer is at least as likely as not caused by radiation exposure. This is the single most common missing document.

   For beryllium disease (Part B)

   • Beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT) result
   • Pulmonary function test results
   • Physician diagnosis of CBD or beryllium sensitivity

   For toxic illness (Part E)

   • Physician diagnosis with ICD code
   • Physician statement linking illness to specific toxic exposure at your facility
   • Impairment rating using AMA Guides (percentage of whole-body impairment)
   • Wage loss documentation — your earnings before and after illness onset
3. 3
   Forms

   Complete Form EE-1 (or EE-2) and Form EE-3

   EE-1 / EE-2 is the claim application. EE-3 is your employment history — it must list every DOE facility, every contractor, and approximate dates for each. Vague or incomplete EE-3 entries are the second most common cause of delays.

   Important: If you worked at multiple facilities, list all of them on EE-3. For cancer claims, adding more facilities increases your calculated radiation dose and can move your probability of causation above the 50% threshold.

4. 4
   Submission

   Mail to your OWCP district office — not the facility state

   Your claim goes to the OWCP district office for the state where you currently live, not where the facility was located. OWCP accepts claims by mail only — no email, no fax.

   Find your district office: dol.gov/agencies/owcp/energy/contacts

   • Send by certified mail — keep the tracking number
   • Keep a complete copy of everything you submit
   • OWCP will send a case number by mail — record it immediately
5. 5
   NIOSH dose reconstruction — cancer claims only

   NIOSH calculates your radiation exposure

   For cancer claims, NIOSH conducts a radiation dose reconstruction — an estimate of the total radiation dose you received over your career at the facility. This is used to calculate your probability of causation (PoC).

   If PoC is below 50%: NIOSH will notify you of a preliminary result. You have the right to request a review, add additional facilities or occupations to the calculation, or submit additional evidence. A PoC below 50% is not a final denial.

6. 6
   Decision and objection

   Recommended decision — and what to do if it goes wrong

   OWCP issues a recommended decision. You have 60 days to file written objections. You can also request an oral hearing with the district director. Objections can be based on new evidence, errors in the dose reconstruction, or incorrect eligibility determinations.

   If your objections are denied, you can appeal to the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB). We handle objections and ECAB appeals.

   20 C.F.R. § 30.300 — Objections · 20 C.F.R. Part 501 — ECAB appeals

Six mistakes that delay or sink claims.