exposure zone

The recently enacted extension of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund helps not only individuals who have yet to file a claim but also those who were previously denied due to late filings.  Under the previous rules, family members of people who died of a Ground Zero-related illness had only two years from the date of […]

Both the World Trade Center Health Program and the Victim Compensation Fund require survivors to prove that they were in the exposure zone on 9/11 or during the World Trade Center clean-up. Each program’s definition of that exposure zone, however, is different. This can sometimes cause confusion for survivors trying to figure out which of […]

Less than two years before the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks, scientists and healthcare providers still have many lingering questions about the effects on those who reported to the scene and participated in the months-long recovery effort. Higher cancer rates have been reported among the first responders who served […]

Many people suffering with medical problems related to the World Trade Center attack or cleanup are not able to recognize symptoms or to connect them with Ground Zero exposure until years later. This can present significant problems as they pursue payments from the Victim Compensation Fund. With the recent permanent authorization of the VCF, individuals […]

Geographic presence is one of the two main qualifications for participation in both the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and the World Trade Center Health Program. Basically, the requirement is that a claimant must have actually been present at an attack site during the attack itself or the subsequent cleanup effort. However, the James Zadroga […]

Just how far did the toxic dust from the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11 travel? Satellite images show the dust cloud trailing from Lower Manhattan across Brooklyn and into the Long Island Sound, which provides some idea of the pervasiveness of the asbestos fibers, crushed cement, lead, copper, fiberglass and other dangerous […]