As if the aftermath of 9/11 could not possibly get worse – it has. The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), which compensates responders and survivors with 9/11-related cancers, is running out of money. All VCF awards are now being slashed by 50% – 70%. This will continue and likely get even worse – unless Congress restores additional funding.   The Victim Compensation Fund – established in 2011 with a budget capped at $7.375 billion – now…

When the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) collapsed on September 11, 2001, 24,000 gallons of jet fuel burned fires on the pile for almost 100 days. The debris and dust in the air around Ground Zero contained over 2,500 contaminants that never should have been inhaled. Those contaminants contained glass, mercury, lead, concrete dust, carpet fibers, pulverized fiberglass, and even asbestos. During the rescue mission, recovery workers and cleanup teams were exposed…

Is there a deadline to file a claim for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF)? Yes. All claims must be fully submitted to the VCF prior to December 18, 2020 – but you should consider filing sooner. The $7 billion fund dedicated to providing financial compensation is running dangerously low. In fact, Rupa Bhattacharyya, Special Master for the VCF, recently warned that the amount of remaining money might not be enough to cover all filed…

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancers among survivors of the 9/11 terror attacks, as well as Downtown New York City residents, workers, and students who were present in the area the day of and thereafter. That’s why if you lived, worked, or spent time in Lower Manhattan between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002, it’s especially important to know how to identify skin cancer. The deadliest form of skin…

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…