9/11 Victim Compensation Act
The White Plains accident attorneys at Worby Vecchio Edelman LLP were proud to have been the leading law firm representing World Trade Center rescue and clean-up workers in the recently settled litigation against New York City and several dozen quasi-public, and private entities. Our firm represented approximately 10,000 clients in this litigation, and secured hundreds of millions of dollars in the settlement. Our participation in this litigation was an honor, and the crowning achievement in the firm’s representation of personal injury victims. Worby Vecchio Edelman LLP is proud to continue its representation of those injured as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11 under the reestablishment of the Victim Compensation Fund.
Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 became law in early 2011; it was subsequently reauthorized in 2015. The Zadroga Act seeks to provide health monitoring and financial compensation not only to rescue workers or to survivors of the actual attack on the World Trade Center, but to anyone present within a geographical boundary whose health was affected following September 11. The Zadroga Act of 2010 reopened the VCF. As it now stands, claims can be filed until December 18, 2020.
Who is Eligible for September 11 Victim Compensation Fund Benefits?
In order to be eligible for benefits, one must prove that they were present in Manhattan in the area south of Canal Street between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002. The Act requires registration with the Fund within two years of the date on which the claimant knew or reasonably should have known that the victim suffered physical harm, or in the case of death caused by exposure or other related injury, within two years of the date of death. The process requires that you register with the World Trade Center Health Program, and get a certification from the Program that you have a 9/11 related illness. This health monitoring is without charge to you.
A VCF Claim is an administrative process, not a litigation process. That means that there is no lawsuit, and none of the accompanying actions involved in litigation. There are no court dates, and no depositions. There are no pre-trial motions, or trials. Instead, once a claim is filed, it is considered by the VCF, and an award is granted.
Is the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Running Out of Money?
There have been recent reports of the VCF awarding amounts reduced by 70% starting with claims submitted for compensation review on or after February 2, 2019. This is simply a result of the Fund running out of money. While it is too early to state with certainty what will ultimately happen, there are also reports of Congress taking steps to replenish the VCF, and to make it permanent, or to at least extend the filing date past the present limit of December 18, 2020. We are monitoring all news reports, so that we will be instantly aware if Congressional action is taken on this front. We would all hope that our representatives in Washington are able to unite on this singular issue.
Information regarding the Victim Compensation Fund is published on the internet, at www.vcf.gov. You should review this website, as it contains a wealth of information, and has a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) link as well.
Leaders in the Representation of all 9/11 Victims
The White Plains accident attorneys at Worby Vecchio Edelman LLP are leaders in the representation of all victims of the events of September 11. We have been there from the beginning; our attorneys filed the original litigation on behalf of the rescue workers, and litigated the case to the day on which it was settled, and beyond. The history of our involvement with the victims of the terrorist attacks is well documented on our website. Call us if you believe you are eligible for compensation under the Victims Compensation Fund. We’ll assist you in obtaining all of the necessary records to prove your claim. We offer a free, no obligation consultation, and since we work on contingency, there is no obligation to you; we only get paid if you recover money from the Fund.