Seeking 9/11 Cancer Compensation? Important Things to Know About the New VCF Claim Form and Document Checklist

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.

The new 16-page claim form was released on August 1, 2016. In addition to the main form, there are another 17 pages of additional information called “appendixes” that may be required depending for your individual claim.

Tips for Completing the New Claim Form

While this new form took what was a two-step filing process and made it a one-step process, it can still be confusing. Here are important things to understand when completing the new claim form:

• You must answer all of the questions relating to both Eligibility and Compensation before your form is considered to be submitted and ready for review by VCF claims examiners.
• If you are submitting your claim online, you need to complete all of the required questions in the Registration, Eligibility, and Compensation sections of the system in order to submit your claim.
• You don’t need to complete the online form in one session; you can start, save, and return to the form if needed.
• Although the system still shows the distinct sections of the form and an individual status for each section, the system will not allow you to submit your claim until you answer all of the required questions in all three sections.
• If you are submitting a hard copy claim form, you will need to answer all of the applicable answers throughout the claim form in order for the VCF to properly enter your claim information into its system and begin its review of your claim.

Make Sure You Follow the Document Checklist

In addition to a new claim form, the VCF issued a new “9/11 VCF Document Checklist.” Even a brief glance at this lengthy list will make it clear that an enormous amount of documentation and information needs to be submitted for your claim to be reviewed.

If you started your claim using the old claim form and submitted the Registration portion of your claim prior to August 1, 2016, your Document Checklist will show a generic listing of required documents. The new, claim-specific checklist is tailored to your specific circumstances but can only be generated for claims that are started and submitted using the new form.

Failure to provide required documents can further delay what is already a lengthy process. This is just one of the reasons that over 80% of all claimants hire a 9/11 attorney. Turley, Hansen & Rosasco, focused exclusively on representing 9/11 victims, can help you properly gather all necessary records, then complete and file all forms so your VCF claim is processed and approved promptly.

We have helped over 1600 clients, including hundreds of cancer victims, recover over $100 million in 9/11 victim compensation since the original Zadroga Act was passed in 2010. Please call us at 1-855-WTC-INFO (982-4636) or fill out our contact form to schedule a free claim review today.