Brigette Honaker  |  November 20, 2020

Category: Cancer

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A rose is placed at the 9/11 memorial in New York.

If you were diagnosed with cancer after 9/11 and were near Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks, you may qualify for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Following 9/11, the air near and around Ground Zero was filled with harmful materials and toxins capable of causing cancer, and those who worked or lived in the area may have been exposed to and injured by these substances.

Many different people may have been exposed to these dangerous toxins and are eligible to receive money from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, including first responders, construction workers, city workers, and nearby students and residents.

If you were near the World Trade Center area any time from Sept. 11, 2001 and May 31, 2002 and were later diagnosed with cancer, you could be eligible to make a claim with the VCF.

September 11th Cancer Links

More than 70 different types of cancer have been linked to the toxins released when the Twin Towers were hit by two planes that crashed into them, causing fires and destabilizing the high rises, which crashed to the ground. Thousands of people died on the day of the attacks, but more victims continue to die as a result of the carcinogens they inhaled in the days and weeks after.

Among the dangerous particles released into the air were aluminum, asbestos, glass, and jet fuel smoke. It is estimated that more than one million people were exposed to the harmful toxins in the air in the months following these attacks. Scientists say these toxins can cause lung cancer, esophageal cancer, brain cancer, bone cancer, skin cancer, mesothelioma, and many other types of cancer.

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

After the events of September 11, 2001, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund was created in order to provide tax-free compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and other benefits. It was originally set up with injured victims in mind. At the time, it wasn’t known how many other people would develop chronic illness years later that was caused by exposure to environmental hazards.

Those who lost a family member due to September 11 cancer or a related, covered illness can be eligible to receive a wrongful death award from the fund.

Many of the area’s first responders, including police and fire personnel, were injured by inhaling toxic fumes and particles during that time. Exposure was not limited to first responders; anyone in the area during and after the attacks may have been exposed and may be suffering from 9/11 cancers or other illnesses.

The September 11th Victim's Compensation Fund helps survivors and families.The New York Daily News Online reported that many who qualify are not applying for compensation. A special master of the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund told reporters that there is a lot of survival guilt that stops victims from applying for benefits and that, in his experience, would-be applicants think incorrectly that the benefits “are for first-responders” and not for them. In reality, the fund’s benefits extend to students, residents, and employees that worked below Canal Street on the day and during the cleanup period.

Indeed, many of those who helped in the clean up efforts after the September 11 attacks may have been unknowingly exposed to toxins and other carcinogens. One man told NPR that he was working as a demolition supervisor at the site in 2001. He reportedly suffered a severe injury to his foot that became septic and he nearly lost his life. He says he lost his job and has been supported by the Fund since.

September 11 cancer victims who are eligible to receive money include:

  • First responders.
  • Firefighters.
  • Police officers.
  • EMTs.
  • City workers.
  • Construction workers.
  • Sanitation workers.
  • Utility workers.
  • Cleaners.
  • 9/11 volunteers.
  • Out-of-state responders.
  • Employees who worked at any business below Canal Street.
  • Residents who lived below Canal Street.
  • Students who attended a school below Canal Street.
  • Others who were in the area between Sept. 11, 2001 and May 31, 2002.

The original 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund closed back in 2004. It was thought that by 2004, those who needed to make claims would have done so. However, when reports showed that thousands of people were still being newly diagnosed with illnesses linked to the 2001 disaster, the fund was reactivated in 2011. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama signed a bill that will keep the fund open through Dec. 18, 2020.

Unfortunately, as the program approached its deadline, funds started to dwindle. In fact, the program initially thought it would be unable to pay remaining claims – prompting payments to be reduced. This sharp reduction in payments prompted 9/11 victims and advocates to rally for full authorization.

Notably, former Daily Show host Jon Stewart went viral after he blasted Congress for their “callous indifference” towards the program. Luckily, due to the efforts of advocates like Stewart and determined lawmakers, the future of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund has been secured.

In July 2019, due to the threat of dwindling funds and concerns that the fund could not payout remaining claims before the 2020 deadline, Congress permanently reauthorized the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund.

“Our nation owes each of you a profound debt that no words or deeds will ever repay,” President Trump said during the bill signing ceremony. “But we can and we will keep our nation’s promise to you.”

The September 11th Victim's Compensation Fund helps survivors and families.The “Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund” bill extends the fund’s lifetime through Oct. 1, 2090 – giving 9/11 victims decades to file a claim for compensation.

The reauthorization act also ensures that the fund will have sufficient funds to pay out current and future claims by providing whatever funds are needed throughout the program’s lifetime. Over the next 10 years, $10.2 billion will be provided to the fund. Over the following decades until 2090, additional billions in funding will be added to the programs.

In addition to ensuring that future claims are paid in full, the reauthorization bill makes sure that previous claims are reimbursed if they faced deductions due to dwindling funds.

Cash awards from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund are tax-free and can help compensate pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, and more. There are also awards for wrongful death available.

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund offers cash payouts from a fund that initially amounted to $7.3 billion. An individual may receive hundreds of thousands of dollars or, in some case, up to millions from the Fund. Some may even be eligible to receive free medical care for life.

At one point, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund had received 28,609 eligibility forms, and 16,942 have been approved. Thousands more are still being processed.

Cancers Eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

Those eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund lived, worked, or were near Ground Zero in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 — any time before May 31, 2002 — and were later diagnosed with one of over 70 types of cancer. Diagnoses of these cancers must have been made at least four years after the exposure, except in the case of blood and bone cancers, which must have been diagnosed at least one year after the exposure.

There are respiratory illnesses and over 70-plus types of cancer recognized as potentially being a consequence from this exposure. Here are a few:

  • Lung cancer.
  • Mesothelioma.
  • Prostate cancer.
  • Ovarian cancer.
  • Breast cancer.
  • Kidney cancer.
  • Bladder cancer.
  • Melanoma.
  • Non-melanoma skin cancer.
  • Thyroid cancer.
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
  • Leukemia.
  • Multiple myeloma.
  • Head, neck, nasal and mouth cancer.
  • Esophagus cancer.
  • Stomach cancer.
  • Colon cancer.
  • Bone cancer.
  • Sarcoma.
  • Liver cancer.
  • Brain cancer.

A September 11 Victims Compensation Fund representative told NPR that there is no good estimate for the number of people exposed to toxins during and after the 9/11 attacks. The surge in claims, according to the representative, could be due to the long latency period of some of these cancers.

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.

If you were present near Ground Zero, generally considered to be Lower Manhattan below Canal Street, between Sept. 11, 2001 and May 31, 2002, and were diagnosed with cancer four years or more after exposure (or one year or more for blood and bone cancers), you may qualify for compensation.

Submit your information now for a free, no-obligation review of your potential 9/11 cancer fund claim.

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Free 9/11 Cancer Fund Claim Evaluation

If you qualify, a September 11th Victim Compensation Fund attorney will contact you to discuss the details of your potential claim at no charge to you.

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client or getting you dropped as a client.

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