Victim Compensation Fund

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 […]

Once you receive your Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) decision letter, you should expect to receive your first payment within 30 days. The VCF is authorized to pay 10 percent of your total loss in the first installment. The VCF will send you the remainder of your payment sometime between 2016 and 2017. Prior to receiving […]

*** UPDATE: Since the date of this blog post, the deadline for filing a claim with the Victim Compensation Fund has been extended until December 18, 2020. *** You may have several options to obtain treatment for your 9/11-related injuries or compensation for the death of your loved one under three primary benefits programs: Victim […]

While arguably slow to start, the VCF claims evaluation and compensation process has accelerated as administrators solidify their procedures and work out problems. The latest program data, released on July 3, 2014, shows impressive increases across all facets of the VCF claim process. As of June 30, 2014, the VCF program has achieved the following […]

Deadlines are of critical importance for anyone who potentially has a Victim Compensation Fund claim. However, as each important deadline passes, a new one seems to appear on the horizon. This has caused many people to rush or panic unnecessarily, or worse, to erroneously believe they have lost the opportunity to pursue compensation. However, the […]

The terrorist attacks on New York City in September 2001 caught the city, and the world, by surprise. More than a decade later, illnesses suffered by downtown workers continue to take a toll. During the attacks on September 11, many groups of people, including responders, office workers, residents, students and teachers, suffered devastating injuries and […]