Hansen & Rosasco, LLP

If you are seeking 9/11 cancer compensation or want to register a claim with the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) for any other 9/11-related condition, getting started on your claim can be confusing. The VCF used to have several different claim forms that varied depending on the nature of the claim or the injury for which compensation was being sought. In an effort to simplify the process, the VCF developed a new claim form that combines all of the previous forms and that all claimants now need to complete.

When the 9/11 Zadroga Act was reauthorized in 2015, several changes were made to the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) program. Many of these changes have a direct impact on how compensation awards are made and how much Zadroga Act compensation an individual claimant may receive for certain types of losses.

The true impact that a 9/11-related illness, injury or death has had on a victim and their family can’t be measured in dollars and cents alone. The trauma, pain and loss felt by those who have suffered because of the terrorist attacks aren’t necessarily reflected in medical bills, paystubs or invoices. These “non-economic” losses are often part of victim compensation awards. But claims for such losses, including pain and suffering, must be supported by documentation and evidence. This can include “victim impact statements” which reflect how the 9/11 attacks and aftermath have affected the claimant and those around them.

Awards under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) are determined by the Fund’s Special Master, Rupa Bhattacharyya.

When the original 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund was debated in Congress in 2001, the issue of whether or not to cover psychological conditions, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and similar conditions, was hotly debated.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 was reauthorized when signed into law by President Obama on December 18, 2015. The Reauthorization Act extends the VCF for five years, allowing individuals to submit their claims until December 18, 2020.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (as reauthorized in 2015) created to programs: (1) The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), and (2) The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). These two programs are closely related, but are separately administered and each has its own registration requirements. For example, registration and treatment in the WTCHP does not constitute registration in the VCF and does not meet the strict registration deadlines of VCF.

To be eligible for an award of compensation from the Victim Compensation Fund, you will need to prove that you were physically present in the “crash site” area (anywhere in lower Manhattan south of Canal Street) between September 11th, 2001 and May 30th, 2002.