Parker Waichman LLP

Applying for Benefits Under the 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Fund

Our 9/11 Zadroga Act Attorneys Help Victims Collect World Trade Center Health Program Benefits   Each year on September 11th, many people reflect on the significance of the day. Those who are old enough to have observed the events of the day recall them with profound sadness. We remember where we were on September 11, […]

Our 9/11 Zadroga Act Attorneys Help Victims Collect World Trade Center Health Program Benefits

Details on How To Properly File A 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Fund Claim

 

Each year on September 11th, many people reflect on the significance of the day. Those who are old enough to have observed the events of the day recall them with profound sadness. We remember where we were on September 11, 2001, when we learned that one plane, and then a second, struck the north and south Towers of the World Trade Center. Soon, we received information about a crash at the Pentagon and another in a field outside of Shanksville, PA. The spine still tingles just thinking about it.

At Parker Waichman LLP, we remember the loss of our family members, loved ones, and friends who perished on September 11, 2001. We proudly represent victims of terror attacks from September 11, 2001, applying for benefits from the September 11 Victims’ Compensation Fund as well as the World Trade Center Health Program. We know that these benefits available to you through the September 11 Victims’ Compensation Fund (VCF) can ease the financial burden with which you have been unfairly saddled.

Although we represent plaintiffs across our great country in many different personal injury matters, our home is in New York, where the specter of 9/11 continues to this day. We will never forget the sacrifices so many made that day, and in the days that followed.

Why should I choose Parker Waichman for my 911 World Trade Center Victims Compensation Fund lawyer?


Source: Why should I choose Parker Waichman for my 9/11 world trade center victims compensation fund lawyer?

You should choose Parker Waichman mainly because we are a large staff that can handle your Zadroga Act claim at any time. You can get in contact us with us 24/7. We have been handling these claims from the beginning. We have some of the most experienced attorneys in terms of handling victims compensation fund claims and if you want to call us there is no charge to our consultation.

You can call us for free right now. We work on a contingency fee meaning we don’t actually receive a fee unless our clients receive an award from the VCF. The contingency fee in these cases is set at 10 percent and that’s set by statute so if you do happen to contact another attorney who tells you the contingency fee is above 10 percent do not sign up with that person give us a call instead. We can help you out and walk you through this process.

Eligibility Requirements to Collect VCF Benefits

 Information Regarding Victim Compensation Fund Assists Those Affected By 9/11

Congress established the VCF to provide a financial remedy for injuries people suffered on September 11, 2001, and in the subsequent cleanup and remediation efforts. The government set aside funds so that claimants could receive compensation for their injuries. Without it, many people would have been without a remedy, and they would face uncertain and insurmountable circumstances, perhaps even financial ruin, alone.

Eligibility for Zadroga Act Benefits is based on satisfying several requirements. They are:

  • Filing a claim before the deadline passes
  • Obtaining certification from the World Trade Center Health Program that your injury or illness qualifies as one that is “as a result of” the terror attacks or removal of debris
  • You must have been present at one of the 9/11 crash sites or present on one of the lanes of debris removal at any point between September 11, 2001, and May 31, 2002

There are other qualifications that you as the applicant must satisfy if they apply. Those additional requirements are:

  • Dismissing, withdrawing from, or having settled a lawsuit relating to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 prior to January 2, 2011.
  • Provide evidence of a new medical condition or loss that you did not have or could not have reasonably anticipated if you received compensation from the first Victims’ Compensation Fund; or
  • Provide evidence that a person or entity who is claiming to represent you has the actual authority to do so

The 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Fund attorneys with Parker Waichman LLP have successfully represented many clients who applied for benefits through the VCF. We understand the application requirements and will work diligently to have your health condition recognized as resulting from the terrorist attacks by the World Trade Center Health Program, so you become eligible to receive compensation from the VCF. It is critical to note that enrollment in either the VCF or the World Trade Center Health Program does not automatically mean that you are enrolled to receive benefits in the other program. The eligibility requirements for each program differ. Our 9/11 Zadroga Act lawyers will aggressively represent you during the enrollment process for both programs.

Compensation from VCF Benefits

Financial compensation from the VCF is based on three factors. The factors the administrations from the VCF consider when determining your award are:

Non-economic losses: Non-economic losses are not quantified easily. Non-economic damages are also understood as “pain and suffering.”

Economic losses: Economic losses are determined as out-of-pocket expenses, medical bills, lost wages, loss of economic advancement, and loss of money for services.

Offset from a third party: As discussed above, your award from the VCF will be reduced by the amount of money you received for your injuries from another source. That source could have been from a lawsuit or claim you filed for personal injuries settled by an insurance company.

Non-economic losses the VCF will pay for depending on the circumstances of each person’s claim. The sum you receive for pain and suffering does not depend on the amount of qualified medical conditions from which you are suffering. Instead, the fund will pay non-economic losses up to $250,000 to a cancer patient and $90,000 for a person who does not have cancer-related to 9/11. The fund will pay a minimum settlement to cancer patients of $125,000 and a minimum of $20,000 to non-cancer sufferers.

The amount you receive for pain and suffering depends on the severity of your condition. You will receive higher compensation for serious, life-threatening injuries or illnesses. VCF benefits are higher for diseases that were persistent and severely disrupted or altered the person’s quality of life. Zadroga Act benefits include a small award to those whose injuries or illness was under control, has resolved with the lapse of time, or is controlled by medication.

The amount of economic damages you might receive is contingent upon specific factors. First, you must have a disability from a qualifying medical condition. Secondly, your disability must be an opinion from a governmental agency like Workers’ Compensation, NYPD, FDNY, or social security or a private insurer. The VCF will also accept the opinion of your disability from the World Trade Center Health Program.

Compensation for your lost wages or lost economic opportunity will depend on factors like your age, the type of work you performed, length of disability, whether you have a total or partial disability and whether you received money from another source. World Trade Center Health Program enrollees may seek economic loss compensation from the VCF if they have at least one qualifying physical condition, there is no other disability determination, the claimant has stopped working or decreased the amount they work and there is a reasonable belief that the claimant’s disability is preventing him or her from returning to work or working full time.

How Much Money Did World Trade Center Victims Get?

The benefits were awarded differently depending on each individual case, but their losses and subsequent compensation was from the thousands to millions of dollars. Overall, 7 billion dollars were award to World Trade Center Victims.

How Much Did 9/11 Widows Get?

Widows were included in the $7 billion payout as part of the World Trade Center Health Program benefits. Compensation differed depending on how much money deceased loved ones contributed to the household, but it started at $250,000, with some families receiving up to $7 million.

How Much Did Each 9/11 Family Get?

Out of the $7 billion paid out to families, each received $2 million on average. The money was awarded to 5,000 families, varying a bit based on the income of the lost loved one.

A Parker Waichman VCF Lawyer Is Ready to Help You Obtain the Benefits You Need

Thanks to a recent renewal of the program, those who suffered losses because of the 9/11 attacks can still seek compensation and benefits under the Zadroga Act. Parker Waichman LLP’s VCF Attorneys have the skills, experience, and knowledge you need to obtain the benefits to which you might be entitled. They understand how to research your claim and assemble a compelling and persuasive claim package. Receiving compensation for your illness or injury requires more than filling out some paperwork. It requires thorough documentation supporting your claim accompanied by a compelling narrative describing how your loss has affected your life and the lives of your loved ones. Our lawyers are dedicated to superior advocacy and have received accolade from AVVO, a Pre-Eminent rating from Martidale-Hubbell, and a listing in the Best Lawyers Publication.

Free Case Consultation with Parker Waichman LLP

Call Parker Waichman LLP today at 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) or fill out our client contact form to get the representation that will help you file a successful VCF claim.

 

Further Zadroga Act resources:

911 Cancer Claims
911 Claims
VCF Benefits
WTC Health Program Covered Conditions
World Trade Center Health Program
WTC VCF
Zadroga Fund Benefits
VCF Cancer Payouts
911 Prostate Cancer Lawyers
911 Melanoma claims
911 Mesothelioma claims
911 Lymphoma claims
911 Leukemia claims
Zadroga Reauthorization Act
VCF Eligibility
Steps for a 9/11 claim in 2020
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