When the World Trade Center was attacked in 2001, thousands of people died in lower Manhattan. Since then, many more unsuspecting individuals have been diagnosed with and died from 9/11 cancer as a result of substances they breathed in the days and months after the attack.

It is estimated that over one million individuals were exposed to toxins during the 9/11 clean-up period that lasted approximately eight months. These airborne toxins consisted of aluminum, asbestos, benzene and glass.

The Environmental Protection Agency determined that the air around the attack site was cleared for people to return pretty soon after the attacks. Workers and citizens returned to their daily routines. This included children and teachers returning to school.

Many who returned to their routine lives did not feel as if the air was safe, yet trusted government agencies, including the EPA. Some reports point to a 9/11 cancer cluster in lower Manhattan that is thought to be caused by toxic dust and inhaled substances as a result of 9/11.

A former New York police department detective, James Zadroga, died in 2006. His death was attributed to his exposure to toxic dust during the rescue and recovery operations he participated in after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

He developed a respiratory disease that doctors concluded was directly tied to inhalation of substances present in the air around Ground Zero. After his death, an autopsy revealed talc, cellulose, calcium phosphate and methacrylate plastic in Zadroga’s lungs.

As a result, lawmakers sought to expand the benefits for those who had been medically affected by the 9/11 attacks to include those who suffered from respiratory illnesses. The September 11^th Victims Compensation Fund had already been enacted, and benefits were expanded with the Zadroga Act. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was signed into law in 2011 and has since been extended to aid those in need until 2090.

This and other acts act provide $7.3 billion in aid for those who have developed 9/11 cancer or other issues related to exposure to toxins as a result of the 9/11 attacks. These funds offer tax-free compensation to those who have been medically affected by 9/11 including pain and suffering, lost earnings, medical expenses and other benefits.

Additionally, if an individual has died due to 9/11 cancer or other related illnesses, a family member may benefit from compensation for wrongful death. This can include a cash death benefit, funeral expenses, lost earnings and other compensation for family members who have survived.

More than 70 types of cancer may qualify for compensation. Some of the 9/11 cancer types that are eligible for benefits under these funds include lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, melanoma, thyroid cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, leukemia, mesothelioma, head or neck cancer, mouth cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer and other various cancers.

Those individuals who may be eligible for 9/11 cancer benefits include residents or students below Canal Street, workers who worked at a business below Canal Street, first responders, firefighters, police officers, EMT workers, city workers, sanitation workers, utility workers and 9/11 volunteers.

If you have been affected by 9/11 cancer or other respiratory problems you suspect may be as a result of living or working near Ground Zero, you may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney.