While the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, are 17 years behind us, the damage continues to ripple through the lives of first responders and innocent bystanders who found themselves in the vicinity of the World Trade Center (WTC) on that day – as well as the weeks and months thereafter. This led the federal government to establish the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). The WTC VCF was conceived to provide individuals who were physically…

The unprecedented nature of the September 11th attacks resulted in unprecedented efforts to help the tens of thousands of individuals whose lives were upended on that horrible day and in the months and years that followed. The federal government established several programs specifically designed to provide resources, compensation, health care, and other assistance to survivors, the families of those who lost loved ones, first responders, and others who suffered health problems or losses related to…

A huge spike in the number of people seeking evaluations and treatment for 9/11-related health conditions through the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) has prompted the opening of a new clinic in Lower Manhattan. The clinic, which opened in August at 156 William Street, will provide initial health evaluations and screenings for up to 750 patients a month.   The new William Street clinic should reduce the long wait times applicants were experiencing before…

Through August 31, 2018, the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) has received over 38,500 claims for eligibility and compensation. With that many claimants, a process that involves a detailed review of applications and supporting evidence, and limited staff to conduct these reviews, a long time can pass before a claim is approved. An even longer time may pass before any money actually reaches a claimant. This inevitably means that some 9/11 victims pass away while…

17 years have passed since the horrific events of September 11th, 2001. For those who lost loved ones in and around the Twin Towers that day, the passage of time doesn’t diminish the pain and loss that followed that terrible day. However, some families have experienced some measure of closure because of the hard work of forensic scientists who continue to search for and identify the remains of victims of the attacks. The New York…

9/11 Never Forget I spoke to a woman from Tennessee this morning who came to Ground Zero with her fellow church members on 9/12/2001. She and her church members cooked hot food under the Brooklyn Bridge and brought it to the responders at Ground Zero every day. She stayed for approximately one week volunteering near Ground Zero. Today, she is fighting breast cancer caused by the toxins she breathed in the immediate aftermath of the…

There is a disturbing front page story in today’s issue of the New York Daily News, “9/11 Fund Death Spiral – Toxin Ills Explode as Vic’s Aid Evaporates”  .  According to this article, there are so many people filing 9/11 cancer death claims and claims for other illnesses that the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) could run out of money before everyone is helped.  The Special Master of the VCF, Rupa Bhattacharyya, would not…