Get Help Applying for the World Trade Center Health Program From Skilled 9/11 Zadroga Act Attorneys Many heroes emerged on Sept. 11, 2001, and many of them were first-responders. Police officers, firefighters, EMS staff, Port Authority workers, and members of the military raced into danger in their effort to save lives, rushing into a cloud […]
Many heroes emerged on Sept. 11, 2001, and many of them were first-responders. Police officers, firefighters, EMS staff, Port Authority workers, and members of the military raced into danger in their effort to save lives, rushing into a cloud of toxic dust and debris. We lost about 3,000 people that tragic day in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, more than 400 of them first-responders.
To combat the onslaught of illnesses caused by being surrounded by the dust and debris at these sites, Congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The Zadroga Act is named after New York City Police Det. James Zadroga, who died in 2006 after developing a respiratory disease that doctors attributed to his work at ground zero. The Zadroga Act allotted funds for the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
If you need help obtaining benefits from the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program or compensation from the Victim Compensation Fund, the skilled 9/11 attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP can help. At our New York law firm, many of us were personally touched by the tragic events of 9/11, and we promise to advocate vigorously for you and your family to get the Word Trade Center Health Program benefits you need. Contact us for a free consultation with our World Trade Center Health Program attorneys today to learn how we can help you.
The world trade center health program is run by the CDC. It is a collection of hospitals and doctors that will examine you once you file your claim for the World Trade Center Health Program and they will actually certify that your condition is related to 9/11.The WTC Health Program is one of the safeguards to make sure that the funding is going to the correct people for conditions that actually are related to the exposure that happened after the terrorist attacks.
Video: What are the WTC health program’s covered conditions for compensation?
There are numerous conditions are covered by the World Trade Center Health Program. The statute specifically sets out many of the conditions that are covered. It includes everything from all types of cancers to respiratory illnesses.I would recommend to people that if you believe you have a condition related to 9/11 first contact an attorney. Specifically an attorney who handles these cases like myself and we can walk you through everything in terms of what is covered and what isn’t covered and how to get you started in the process.
The World Trade Center Health Program is not health insurance. The program will only pay for treatment of adverse health conditions and monitoring for 9/11-related health problems, such as mesothelioma, post-traumatic stress disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease or World Trade Center cough. You must be certified as eligible for the program before you can participate. The program will pay for your treatment and maintenance as long as you:
“World Trade Center cough” is a common name for an impairment of lung function due to inhaling toxic dust at ground zero. It’s characterized by a persistent cough and shortness of breath and often associated with bronchitis, asthma or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
The 9/11 WTC Health Program recognizes five distinct groupings of 9/11-related health complications. The list is not exhaustive, in fact, the program reserves the right to expand this list. They have done so previously and will continue to do as health professionals learn more about the terrible effects exposure to the contaminants from 9/11 have on the human body.
Most acute traumatic injuries that qualifying applicants suffered on 9/11 are healed by now. But there could be complications from these injuries that could qualify under the program, especially burns, eye injuries or brain injuries.
The category of aerodigestive disorders combines illnesses relating to breathing and the digestive system. Problems relating to breathing include asthma, laryngitis, chronic cough (World Trade Center cough), rhinosinusitis, interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asbestosis, and other respiratory disorders. Digestive disorders include GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disorder, digestive problems caused by cancer, and obstructions of the intestinal tract caused by unknowingly swallowing contaminants.
The WTC Health Program recognizes around 60 individual forms of cancer. The cancers that doctors have connected to exposure to 9/11 affect every system of the body. The 9/11 WTC Health Program has approved health-care coverage for various kinds of cancers in the blood and lymph tissue (such as leukemia and lymphoma), digestive system, eye, breast, female reproductive system, head and neck, respiratory system, skin, soft tissue, thyroid, and urinary system. Furthermore, the program covers treatment for mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by significant exposure to asbestos, and other rare forms of cancer.
Many of the mental illnesses covered by the program are based on anxiety and depression, as might be anticipated. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is also included in the list of 9/11-related medical conditions. Other covered psychological conditions include acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder, major depressive disorder, major anxiety disorder, dysthymia, panic attacks, and substance misuse or abuse disorder.
This category of approved conditions is the most restricted. The program will permit treatment for musculoskeletal problems only if you received medical care for the injury within two years of 9/11 and your work on the site caused the problem. The program restricts coverage under this category to people who responded to the World Trade Center, whether as a member of the FDNY or another general responder.
Eligibility for the WTC Health Program is dependent upon whether you or your loved one can satisfy the program requirements. The classes are as follows:
The WTC Health Program distinguishes each category from the others because each group has particular needs. The program can better meet those needs when the program applicants are grouped by the function they performed or the circumstances in which they found themselves.
The World Trade Center Health Program allows applicants to have an attorney with the necessary experience in representing 9/11 victims to represent them throughout the application process. Parker Waichman’s World Trade Center Health Program attorneys have the requisite experience along with the skill, knowledge, determination, and resources to help you get the benefits to which you are entitled because of your 9/11-related illness. If you believe you should be covered but the program denied your application, then you have a right to appeal that decision. We can help you with the WTC Health Program appeals process as well.
As fellow New Yorkers with a national practice, we have represented many people who have suffered adverse health conditions from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Our WTC Health Program lawyers promise to represent you and your family zealously so that you can focus on getting well and fighting the health problems you must now endure. Call us today at 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) for a free consultation.
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