Exposure to radiation can be harmful to the human body.  When a person may have come in contact with radiation,  even indirectly, it is crucial to ascertain the severity of their exposure and the possibility of negative repercussions on the body.

To conduct a precise exposure analysis, RWMA must determine:

1. How radiation/radioactive materials travel from the source(s) at hand to individuals.

2. The effects that the radiation/radioactive materials will have on the exposed individuals.

In order to answer these questions, data must be carefully analyzed through a series of procedures:

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Exposure Assessment

RWMA estimates personal and group exposures to radiation and radioactive/hazardous materials for personal injury cases, damage lawsuits, and consequence assessments.  We have extensive experience in providing scientifically sound and defensible assessments of exposure.

We have estimated exposures to radiation and radioactivity from the following activities:

• Uranium mining and milling operations 

• Thorium processing 

• Oil pipe scale operations

• Industrial accident exposure

• Property damage due to uranium solution mining/aquifer contamination

Pathways

Environmental pathways are the mechanisms which transport radioactive material from the source to the receptor.  RWMA estimates the relative contribution of environmental pathways in determining overall exposure assessments.  

Some of these pathways of interest often include:

• Airborne transportation of tailings

• Ingestion of contaminated food, water, and soil

• Industrial accident exposure

• Direct exposure to radiation

• Dermal contact with contaminated materials

Dose Reconstruction

Often times, health effects caused by exposure to radiation have a long latency period and may not produce symptoms for several years following the original exposure.  In order to determine the likelihood that an illness has been caused by past exposure to radiation, a reconstruction of the likely exposure rates is necessary.

Dose reconstructions is frequently the culmination of an exposure assessment because it provides an estimate of the total exposure of a group or individual from all relevant environmental pathways.  RWMA carefully performs the necessary calculations for dose reconstruction to ensure an accurate outcome on the behalf of plaintiffs in personal or work-related injury cases.

Likelihood of Injury Due to Radiation

Once a dose reconstruction has been performed, it may be desirable to have an estimate of the probability that a certain radiation dose would cause a specific type of cancer. Using standard techniques, RWMA can calculate this percentage.