Our 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund Lawyers Fight for Victims of 9/11
September 11, 2001, is a date we will never forget. What was a beautiful, sunny, late Summer morning turned instantly into one of the worst days in history. Unfortunately, all of these years later, people are suffering from illnesses linked to that day.
There is a fund for victims of 9/11 that might provide you with compensation if you have an illness related to 9/11. Call our lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, to find out if you are eligible to file a claim with the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund (VCF).
To ensure the timeliness of any 9/11 VCF claim, you should register your claim by July 29,2021.
9/11 Continues to Have a Deadly Impact
The events of 9/11 are seared into our minds, and the thousands of people who lost and sacrificed their lives that day are never far from our hearts. Nearly 3,000 Americans lost their lives in the three coordinated terrorist attacks on 9/11. More than 25,000 suffered injuries. Most of these occurred in New York City, resulting from the attack on the World Trade Center towers and their subsequent collapse.
After the attacks, New Yorkers worked hard to recover. Lower Manhattan was a literal disaster area filled with burning debris, dust, and fallout from the attacks.
Survivors of 9/11, business owners, students, and families participated in cleanup efforts and were eager to return to their normal lives. For close to a year, first responders, volunteers, residents, and workers, breathed in toxic dust and fumes that were in the air after 9/11. Between people working daily on “the pile” at ground zero, men and women with jobs in downtown Manhattan, and those living in nearby apartments, it is impossible to know the actual number of people exposed to the dangerous fumes and poor air quality.
What we do know is that many of these people suffered severe health problems, some more quickly than others. These include cancers caused by 9/11. More than 70 types of cancer have been linked to exposure to the environmental consequences of 9/11. There are respiratory illnesses and even some digestive conditions that have also resulted from 9/11.
Government Establishment of 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund
Immediately following 9/11, the U.S. government created a fund to help the victims of 9/11. It intended to compensate the victims and first responders killed or injured in the attacks or their families. From 2001-2004, this is what the Victims Compensation Fund did.
As first responders began showing signs of illness, especially cancer, people began to understand that the dangerous health implications of 9/11 were going to last far beyond the cleanup.
Eventually, the reach of the VCF was extended to include victims who suffered from illnesses, especially cancers, related to 9/11. The VCF allows workers, residents, and students in lower Manhattan who suffer 9/11-related health conditions to receive the same level of consideration as the first responders. Those who helped with the cleanup, and those who wanted to return to their homes, jobs, and lives downtown are all potentially eligible to collect money from the VCF if they become ill.
The VCF Was Extended Many Times.
In 2011, President Obama signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. This act funded the VCF for an additional five years.
President Trump subsequently signed H.R. 1327 into law. The law is called the “Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luiz Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act.”
This 2019 law fully funded the VCF and allowed injured or harmed individuals until October 2090 to file a claim and collect compensation. The funding authorized is technically unlimited but is estimated at about $10 billion.
Who Might Be Eligible to Collect Compensation from the VCF?
There are criteria to meet to participate in the VCF. You must be able to prove:
- You were a first responder or a volunteer or lived, worked, or went to school near Ground Zero and the exposure zone between 9/11/2001 and 5/30/2002
And
- You have been diagnosed with a medical condition that is a World Trade Center Health Program 9/11 illness or an illness certified as “caused by” exposure to 9/11 fumes or dust.
Some people who might fall into this category are individuals who :
- Worked several hours a day at ground zero hauling concrete, steel, debris, or bodies
- Worked several hours a day at a nearby landfill, garage, or loading dock
- Worked, lived, or went to school south of Canal Street, Clinton Street, East Broadway
The exposure zone is limited but speaking to our 9/11 VCA lawyers is essential to determine if you were in the requisite area for the necessary time. You don’t need to reside or work in the area now to qualify.
Cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Hodgkin’s disease
- Breast Cancer
- Burkett’s tumor
- Myeloid sarcoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Thyroid cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Colon cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Skin cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Rare cancers
- Eye cancer
9/11 Related Airway and Digestive System Illness
- Chronic cough syndrome
- Chronic laryngitis
- Chronic rhinosinusitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)
- Asthma
- Sleep apnea
- Interstitial lung disease
- Reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic nasopharyngitis
- Chronic respiratory disorder
This list is by no means exhaustive but does cover some of the more common 9/11 related illnesses. Remember, dust and debris permeated the air around the World Trade Center for an unknown period of time. Much of that dust settled in the crevices and corners of the streets, businesses, and homes downtown. If you have developed an illness and spent time in the exposure zone during and after 9/11, the two may be related.
What Can a 9/11 VCF Lawyer Do for You?
Register Your Claim: One of the most important reasons to seek help from a 9/11 VCF lawyer is to ensure your claim is registered on time. There is a difference between registering a claim and filing a claim.
The first step is to register your claim with the VCF. The VCF registration deadline for some claims is July 29, 2021. The purpose of registration is to preserve your claim for the future, should you wish to file one. You are not obligated to do so.
Registering your claim before July 29, 2021, ensures it will be timely.
Registering your claim after that may or may not be timely based on individual circumstances. If you do not register your claim before July 29, 2021, you may lose eligibility for compensation from the fund.
Filing Your Claim: When you have a certified 9/11 related illness, you can gather your evidence and consider filing your compensation claim.
Your lawyers can ensure that your claim gets filed at the appropriate time and contains all required proof of your illness, expenses, and other losses related to your condition.
There are many deadlines, rules, and regulations associated with filing a claim with the 9/11 VCF. Having an experienced VCF lawyer is crucial to ensuring your claim complies with all of them and that you collect the maximum amount of compensation to which you are entitled.
Thousands of Victims Have Already Received Compensation from the 9/11 VCF
The 9/11 VCF has helped thousands of people who have suffered because of the aftermath of 9/11. Some of these victims were on the scene in the days and months following the World Trade Center attacks, cleaning up, hauling debris, and transporting the remains of those who perished. Others returned to their jobs and businesses, intent on contributing to the devastated economy of lower Manhattan. Some of these people have passed away, and others are fighting serious illnesses related to their presence in the exposure zone. Many of them have taken advantage of the VCF and collected substantial compensation.
Here are some examples of individuals who have filed claims and collected compensation from the 9/11 VCF:
- An office worker in downtown Manhattan who developed skin cancer and larynx cancer
- A former college student who developed thyroid cancer
- A restaurant owner who developed lung cancer
- A school administrator who developed multiple myeloma
- A downtown worker who developed asthma, reflux, and sarcoidosis
- A downtown worker who suffers from sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, and vocal cord disease
- A former high school student who developed skin cancer
- A worker who developed kidney cancer
If you have been diagnosed with cancer or another illness that might have been caused by exposure to 9/11 debris and dust, you might be entitled to substantial compensation.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP, for a Free 9/11 VCF Consultation
If you spent time in the exposure zone after 9/11, you might not feel sick.
It would be natural for you to assume you should wait to consider a claim for compensation unless, or until, you do.
But, you should consider calling our lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, to discuss registering your claim now – before any deadline arrives. By registering your claim now, you can avoid a potential issue later, one that can strip you of your right to collect compensation.
The VCF is funded through 2090. By registering your claim now, you can ensure that you can file a timely claim if you do develop a 9/11 related illness.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer-related to 9/11 or another illness, our lawyers can ensure your claim is complete and contains all of the evidence you need to collect the maximum amount of compensation you deserve.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP, today at 800-403-6191 to set up an appointment for a free evaluation of your 9/11 VCF claim.