Another New York man and first responder at the 9/11 terrorist attacks has reportedly been diagnosed with cancer. According to Patch, the 9/11 cancer victim, Terence Connelly, was diagnosed with high-grade glioblastoma last month, nearly twenty years after the attacks. The cancer has been associated with the chemical exposure he faced at Ground Zero in the wake of the attack.

Terence has a wife and three children, and his diagnosis has reportedly put the family in a financially difficult place. A friend of the family, Elizabeth Weiburg, started a GoFundMe page to help the family deal with Terence’s medical bills.

So far, a community of people including friends, family, and neighbors—along with strangers on the internet who heard Terence’s story and cared—have donated more than $45,000 to help support the family.

“I don’t know that there’s much public awareness about how certain cancers have been latent for 20 years since the attacks and people don’t realize that some of these people are just being diagnosed now,” Elizabeth said, according to Patch reporters. “It’s not just the people who died right away, or the people who were diagnosed six months, a year, five years later, I don’t know there is a true understanding of these cancers that are just being diagnosed and related to the World Trade Center.”

Support for 9/11 Cancers

A cancer diagnosis often introduces significant financial difficulties for the cost of care and treatment, but there are some avenues for compensation that a 9/11 cancer victim can explore.

One of these ways is through the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, which was established after the terrible events of September 11, 2001, to help compensate those who were injured in the attacks. Those eligible for compensation include victims and first responders, along with family members of these victims. Those impacted by delayed cancers can now file claims until 2021.

Every year, more and more victims and first responders are being diagnosed with a variety of cancers related to their presence at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks, which was teeming with dangerous toxins.

Since it was established, the Victim Compensation Fund has been extended periodically a few years at a time, but has now been extended until Oct. 1, 2090.  Activists have been pushing for the fund to become permanent for years, and the senate decision of a deadline of 2090 essentially accomplishes that task.

Filing a 9/11 Cancer Victim Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with 9/11 cancer or one of the other 9/11-related health conditions, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering experienced by a 9/11 cancer victim, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially while dealing with a cancer diagnosis, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.