Post-9/11 Illnesses

Long-Term Health Effects

The catastrophic damage caused by the World Trade Center collapse did not end on September 11, 2001. Many New York residents suffered long-term injuries, mental health problems, and devastating health effects as a result of exposure to the cancer-causing dust and debris.

In the years since 9/11, thousands of families have suffered financially due to expensive medical bills and because their primary breadwinners have been too sick or injured to continue working at full capacity.

How the Zadroga Act Can Benefit You

The James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, enacted by President Obama in 2011 and extended in late 2015, provides support to the many victims of 9/11.

The Zadroga Act helped set up The World Trade Center Health Program, which offers treatment for first responders as well as for survivors that lived, worked, or attended school in the Lower Manhattan area.

Click here for a map of the area known as the NYC Exposure Zone.

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, also created by the Zadroga Act, provides compensation for both economic and non-economic losses suffered by 9/11 survivors. Economic losses include medical expenses and lost earnings as a result of illness or injury, whereas non-economic losses encompass pain and suffering as well as impaired quality of life.

Eligibility for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund

Since the Zadroga Act was signed into law, the Victim Compensation Fund has awarded over $1.8 billion to individuals and families affected by 9/11. Those eligible for receiving compensation from the Victim Compensation Fund include:

• Lower Manhattan Residents and Workers
• First Responders
• Construction and Sanitation Workers
• Crash Site volunteers

Click here for a list of cancers covered by the Victim Compensation Fund.

If you believe that you are eligible for a Zadroga claim, contact the law office of Caesar & Napoli for a free consultation. Our legal team has decades of experience fighting on behalf of injured workers and victims. We can help seek compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering for you or your loved one.

Contact Us

Caesar & Napoli attorneys do not charge for initial consultations. If you’d like to schedule a meeting with one of our attorneys, please contact us at (888) 235-6766. Personal injury cases are handled on a no-win, no-fee basis. You do not paid attorney’s fees unless we win a recovery for your case.

Two Separate Programs, and Why That Matters

People often assume the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund are one thing. They are not, and the difference costs people money every year.

• The WTC Health Program provides monitoring and treatment, and it is the program that certifies whether a condition is linked to 9/11 exposure.
• The Victim Compensation Fund pays compensation for economic and non-economic loss. It generally requires that your condition already be certified by the WTC Health Program.

Being treated or monitored by the WTC Health Program does not register you with the VCF. Those are separate steps, and enrollment in one does not preserve your rights in the other. Anyone receiving treatment through the Health Program who has never registered with the VCF should look at that now rather than later.

Who May Qualify

Eligibility is not limited to first responders. The programs reach a broad group of people who were present in the New York City exposure zone during the relevant period, including:

• Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other emergency personnel
• Construction, cleanup, debris removal and recovery workers
• Office workers, building staff and maintenance crews who returned to the area
• Residents of the exposure zone
• Students and school staff who were in the area
• People who worked at the Pentagon site or the Shanksville crash site
• Family members bringing a claim on behalf of someone who has died of a certified condition

Registration Deadlines Are Individual, and They Are Easy to Miss

The VCF has a final claim filing date of October 1, 2090, which sounds reassuring and is the reason people put this off. The registration deadline is the one that actually ends claims. Registration is a separate, earlier step from filing, and the deadline that applies to you depends on your own circumstances, including when your condition was certified by the WTC Health Program or, in a claim involving a death, the date of death and related events.

Because registration deadlines are individual rather than universal, no general article can tell you your date. Registering is free, it does not commit you to filing a claim, and it protects your ability to file later. If you have a condition that may be connected to 9/11 exposure, registration is the step to take first.

Post-9/11 Claim Questions We Hear Most Often

I already receive treatment through the WTC Health Program. Am I registered with the VCF?

No. The two programs share information about certified conditions but they are separate. Registration with the VCF has to be done on its own.

Does a VCF award affect my pension or disability benefits?

VCF awards are offset by certain other compensation you have received for the same harm, which is why the calculation is done carefully and why documentation of what you already receive matters. How a particular pension or disability benefit is treated depends on the benefit, so it should be reviewed rather than assumed.

I was not a first responder. I just worked in the area. Do I still qualify?

Possibly. The exposure zone covers a defined area of Lower Manhattan and a defined period, and office workers, residents, students and cleanup crews have all had conditions certified. Presence in the zone during the relevant window is the starting point.

My condition was diagnosed years later. Is it too late?

Many 9/11 related conditions, including several cancers and respiratory illnesses, appear long after the exposure. That delay is expected by the programs. What matters is certification and meeting your individual registration deadline, not how long ago the exposure occurred.

Can a family member file if my relative has died?

Yes. A personal representative may bring a claim on behalf of someone who died of a certified condition. These claims have their own registration timing, which is another reason to check the deadline rather than estimate it.

What does it cost to have my situation reviewed?

Initial consultations are free. Most cases at the firm are handled on a no-win, no-fee basis, which means attorney’s fees are owed only if there is a recovery.

The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Registration and filing deadlines depend on individual circumstances and should be confirmed for your own situation.