Recent Blog Posts

Just two days prior to the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the New York City Health Department released a summary of five recent research articles on the long-term health impacts to rescue and recovery workers and civilian survivors enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. The findings were […]

When Congress reauthorized the Zadroga Act, renewing the Victim Compensation Fund for five years, some substantive changes were made. The new law places a cap on pain and suffering awards for cancer at $250,000 and for non-cancer illnesses at $90,000. But that does not mean new claimants will necessarily receive lower awards than previous claimants […]

Attorney Michael Barasch, Managing Partner of the law firm Barasch & McGarry, and Richard Alles, former legislative director for the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, report that the last three years have seen a three-fold increase in 9/11-linked cancers. The October 25, 2016 Edition of the Labor Press’ “Blue Collar Buzz” radio show highlighted their ongoing […]

Michael Barasch met with both Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at a recent benefit for 9/11 Health Watch. They discussed the implications of the new JASTA law and the importance of extending the Victim Compensation Fund past 2020.

When the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Reauthorization Act went into effect last December, Congress charged the Justice Department with writing a rule to implement it. The Attorney General appointed Sheila L. Birnbaum as Special Master, and Ms. Birnbaum recently published the Interim Final Rule for the VCF. Potential claimants should be aware […]

*** 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. *** First Responders, Local residents, office workers and students with cancer may now be able to assert claimsMichel Barasch, managing partner at Barasch McGarry, commented on VCF Special […]