Victim Compensation Fund

One of the most common reasons that people hesitate to consult an attorney following a personal injury or other loss is the fear that the attorney’s fees could consume a substantial portion of whatever award they receive. However, in nearly all cases the enhanced rewards you receive coupled with the stress and uncertainty you avoid […]

To be eligible for 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund benefits, you must prove that you were present during or immediately after the terrorist attack. If you are applying for loss of your loved one, you must prove that she or he was present and died as a result of 9/11-related injuries or disease. Proof of presence […]

The VCF hearing process has been largely uncharted territory, owing in part to the fact that the Zadroga Act did not provide any detailed guidelines for adjudicating contested VCF eligibility and compensation decisions. Indeed, the first such hearings have only taken place within the last year. However, consistent with the purpose of the Act, the […]

Tragically, many children were victims of the World Trade Center collapse, Pentagon attack and plane crash at Shanksville. Some lost parents either during the attacks or in later years as a result of 9/11-related diseases. Others who lived or attended school in lower Manhattan sustained physical injuries or illnesses. In fact, children exposed to the […]

For most VCF claimants, non-economic losses represent the bulk of their recovery. While out of pocket costs for medical treatment — as well as lost wages from total or partial disability — can be significant, intangible losses like pain, disfigurement and the inability to fully enjoy life’s pleasures remain a major factor. Unfortunately, proving the […]

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. As a result, same-sex partners who were legally married in their home state were nonetheless denied federal benefits. In 2002, Kenneth R. Feinberg, the special master of the initial September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), announced that gay and lesbian domestic […]