New York City workers injured from exposure to toxic chemicals during the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks are concerned the Victim Compensation Fund could run out of money before their disabilities are approved.

The U.S. Department of Justice oversees the distribution of money from the Victim Compensation Fund, which was established when donations poured in to help those who were hurt in the 9/11 attacks. First responders and people who lived, worked or went to school near Ground Zero between Sept. 11, 2001 and May 31, 2002 could qualify for a portion of the $7.3 billion Victim Compensation Fund. Many victims qualify for free lifetime medical care, too.

A bureaucratic glitch has kept some people from receiving the funds they say they are owed. One of the provisions to receive money from the Fund is that the applicant’s pension system must have determined the applicant was disabled as a result of 9/11-related health problems.

Long Waits for Victim Compensation Fund

According to an article by The Chief, New York City workers are represented by a union that says the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS) is taking too long to process disability claims. The delay could mean that once workers finally do receive proof they are disabled, their Victim Compensation Fund money will be drastically less than others have received.

The NYCERS allegedly is hiring more staff to process the increasing number of applications, but some critics say the medical personnel making the decisions are not qualified to do so.

One former captain with a tracheotomy allegedly has been waiting for several months for the NYCERS to determine he’s truly sick enough to qualify for the Victim Compensation Fund.

A retired FDNY paramedic said he’s waited so long for compensation that he has lost his home to foreclosure. He said he sought shelter under his truck when the World Trade Center’s north tower collapsed. He then spent more than 400 hours toiling in the aftermath to help with the debris. In addition to PTSD, he says he has 9/11-related asthma and other health conditions that should prove he is qualified for the Victim Compensation Fund, but he still is waiting for the NYCERS to make that determination.

Those affected by the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have been diagnosed with more than 70 different cancers. Toxic fumes and air full of particles of glass, asbestos, and other dangers permeated the lungs of men and women who helped rescue fellow Americans and clean up the aftermath of the attacks for many months.

An estimated 35,000 New York City residents potentially qualify for a portion of the Fund. Residents who lived, worked, or went to school in Lower Manhattan below Canal Street at any time between Sept. 11, 2001 and May 31, 2002 could qualify for money and possibly free health care. Residents who received a diagnosis of a blood or bone cancer a year or more after the attacks or any other cancer four or more years after the exposure are encouraged to speak with an attorney who can help them apply for the Victim Compensation Fund.