After its expansion in late 2019, the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is expected to provide financial compensation to 9/11 cancer victims who have developed cancers or other illnesses after being exposed to toxins at the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. However, according to some victim advocates, eligible applicants may not know about the fund, or the World Trade Center Health Program.

World Trade Center Health Program Overview

The World Trade Center Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment to first responders, emergency workers, recovery and cleanup workers, and volunteers who aided with the response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Eligible workers and volunteers may have helped with clean up or recovery efforts at the site of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania crash site.

The program also provides medical treatment for people who lived, worked, or went to school in the New York City disaster area in the time immediately following the attacks. In most cases, the conditions covered by the program must have been diagnosed a certain number of years after the exposure to the site of the attacks.

People who lived, worked, went to school, or aided in the recovery efforts near the attack sites may have been exposed to toxins that were released into the air during the attacks. Due to the immense destruction caused by the attacks, a dust cloud including harmful particles was released into the air in New York City. People who were exposed to or breathed in the toxins contained in this cloud may have developed severe health consequences due to this exposure.

However, as many of the cancers and other conditions linked to exposure to these toxins take years or decades to develop, many victims may not even realize that their injuries were caused by the 9/11 attacks. Other potential victims may not yet have had their injuries or conditions diagnosed.

According to some estimates, as many as 450,000 people may be eligible for free health care coverage and medical monitoring under the World Trade Center Health Program. However, only about 100,000 people are currently enrolled in the program.

While approximately 3,000 people died during the 9/11 attacks, health conditions related to the dust and toxins released in the aftermath may be on track to kill even more. Approximately 10,000 people have been diagnosed with 9/11 related cancers, and at least 1,700 people who developed 9/11 related illnesses or cancers have died.

What Are the World Trade Center Health Program Benefits?

The World Trade Center Health Program provides benefits for people who were in the vicinity of the attacks, including health evaluations, medical monitoring, and the treatment of applicable medical conditions. This monitoring and treatment is free for members who enroll in the program and receive care through approved providers.

The program also provides education and outreach to potential applicants, collects and analyzes the health data of members who consent, and conducts research in order to learn more about 9/11 related health conditions.

Who Is Eligible for the Program?

Anyone who lived, worked, or went to school in the areas near the 9/11 attacks may qualify to apply for medical coverage or compensation through the World Trade Center Health Fund. Additionally, firefighters, police officers, first responders, medical personnel, city workers, construction workers, and volunteers who were in the immediate vicinity of the attacks may also be eligible.

There are many cancers and other conditions that qualify victims to pursue compensation through the fund. These conditions include cancers of the stomach, brain, lungs, prostate, breasts, bladder, skin, thyroid, colon, kidneys, esophagus, bones, liver, or blood.

Additionally, people who suffer from neuropathy related to their cancer treatment may be eligible, as are people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions, musculoskeletal disorders, and traumatic injuries. The program may also cover the costs of treatment for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, including PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

Aside from the health consequences of contracting a 9/11 related illness, many victims may be at increased risk of developing other conditions. Their weakened organs or immune systems may make it more likely for them to develop conditions such as COVID-19 or dementia. Victims who sign up for the World Trade Center Health Program may be able to have their healthcare costs covered if they develop additional conditions related to their 9/11 injuries.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many victims of 9/11 lung illnesses may be concerned about their health. In addition to the potential for people who were in the area of the terrorist attacks to develop conditions including respiratory illnesses or cancer, these victims may also be at a heightened risk of contracting a severe case of the coronavirus.

People suffering from pre-existing conditions that weaken the immune system may be more likely to contract the virus, and to experience a worse case. As COVID-19 attacks the lungs and the respiratory system, victims with lung cancer or other lung damage from the attacks may be especially susceptible to the effects of the virus.

Additionally, some research suggests that first responders and others who were in the vicinity of the attacks may be more likely to develop dementia than the average person. Two studies from Stony Brook University indicate that many 9/11 responders may have been exposed to toxins that increase the likelihood of developing dementia and experiencing cognitive deficits. According to these studies, the “brain age” of people exposed to these toxins is about 10 years older than their peers who were not exposed.

Filing a World Trade Center Health Program Survivor Eligibility Application

CBS advises survivors to sign up for the World Trade Center Health Program even if they are healthy now. The program provides annual screening and health monitoring for possible 9/11 related health problems.

Getting screened early can help survivors identify health problems as soon as possible. This can, in turn, get them the medical care they need right away. Because 9/11 survivors have been exposed to possible carcinogens, if cancer develops, early screening can offer the best chance for survival.

In order to apply for the program, you will need to provide information including details and proof that you were in the immediate areas of the attacks in the time directly after they occurred. Additionally, if you are applying for compensation through the 9/11 victims fund, you will need proof of a qualifying cancer or other illness. Hiring an experienced attorney may make the application process easier to navigate, letting you receive medical care or compensation sooner.

Experts stress the importance of collecting documentation in a range of forms. To make a claim for benefits, a person will ned to show documentation that they were present at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, or Shanksville, Pennsylvania during applicable timeframes.

This process will likely get more challenging the longer a person waits, or whose condition develops later on. In some cases, a disease might develop years after any witnesses are still alive who can support a person’s claim that they were present at Ground Zero. If a victim wishes to make a claim closer to the 2090 deadline, it will help them to have collected information now, rather than try to do it nearly 90 years after the attacks.

Additionally, a patient will need to provide medical documentation. This information will be used to demonstrate that an illness or condition was indeed connected to exposure of toxins at 9/11, and not to another factor. It may not enough for a person to show that they were at Ground Zero and to show that they have a condition eligible for compensation. Rather, a person must demonstrate that their condition was the result of exposure to 9/11 toxins.

Free 9/11 Cancer Fund Claim Evaluation

Navigating the complex and burdensome paperwork and strict deadlines to participate in the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund can be difficult. An experienced 9/11 Victim Fund attorney can help and ensure you get the maximum compensation available.