9/11 Brain Cancer Compensation Claims

In 2014, the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) officially recognized brain cancer as 9/11-related. With this recognition, brain cancer was eligible for lifetime healthcare from the WTCHP and also compensation from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). Researchers are still learning about the long-term health effects of 9/11 exposure – including an increased risk of rare forms of brain cancer – in people who were exposed to the toxic cloud of dust and debris from the WTC on 9/11 or during the months following, including those who helped with rescue efforts and clean-up operations as well as those who lived, worked, or went to school in lower Manhattan either on 9/11 or any time though mid-2002. 

The WTCHP provides lifetime healthcare for all 9/11-related conditions – including brain cancer and 70+ other types of cancer – including medical treatment, testing, needed therapies, prescriptions, and any other needed care. The VCF provides for both economic and noneconomic (pain and suffering) losses related to physical injury or death for those individuals who were exposed due to the attacks on 9/11. If you or a loved one lived, worked, or went to school in Lower Manhattan, or were present at one of the other crash sites on 9/11 or the following months and have been diagnosed with brain cancer, you may be entitled to a 9/11 brain cancer compensation claim. The WTCHP and the VCF are open to providing benefits and compensation until the year 2090.

Common Causes and Symptoms of Brain Cancer 

While there is no known definitive cause of primary brain cancer, brain tumors – or abnormal growths in the brain – are thought to be caused by a variety of factors such as genetic mutations, radiation exposure, or exposure to environmental toxins and chemicals. Brain tumors can be cancerous or benign. Secondary brain tumors, or brain metastases, are cancers that originate in other parts of the body and spread to the brain and are much more common than primary brain tumors. 

Common symptoms of a brain tumor include headaches, nausea, problems with balance, seizures, memory loss, changes in personality or behavior, or difficulty speaking, thinking, or finding words. Persons with a brain tumor may also have weakness, numbness, or loss of movement in one part or one side of the body, or sensory changes like difficulty seeing, smelling, or hearing. Other symptoms include abnormal eye movements, trouble swallowing, drooping of one side of the face, and loss of appetite or weight loss.

How to Know if You Qualify For Brain Cancer Compensation From 9/11 Exposure

If you were a 9/11 first responder, rescue and recovery worker, or a survivor of the terrorist attacks and have been diagnosed with brain cancer or any other 9/11 certified health condition, you may be eligible for financial compensation through the September 11th VCF.

To be eligible for compensation under the VCF, you must have been present at one of the following 9/11 crash sites or in locations of debris removal at any point during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002:

• The WTC site
• The Pentagon
• The Shanksville, Pennsylvania site
• The NYC Exposure Zone: the area in Manhattan south of the line that runs along Canal Street from the Hudson River to the intersection of Canal Street and East Broadway, north on East Broadway to Clinton Street, and east on Clinton Street to the East River;
• Any area related to or along the routes of debris removal, such as barges and the Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island
• Any location used by employees of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City (OCME) involved in the examination and handling of human remains, or locations used by morgue workers who performed similar functions for the OCME staff; or
• Any location used for the repair, cleaning, or rehabilitation of vehicles or equipment contaminated by WTC-related debris.

Brain Cancer Treatment Options Through the WTC Health Program

The WTCHP provides medical monitoring, health care, and treatment services for people who have been diagnosed with certified 9/11 medical conditions and cancers including brain cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and mesothelioma. Treatment options for a brain tumor through the WTCHP depend on the type, size, and location of the tumor, as well as the patient’s symptoms, general health, and personal preferences for treatment. The primary options for the treatment of a brain tumor are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and tumor treatment fields.