Who Can Still File VCF Claims?

October 3, 2013, marked the passage of two years since the reopening of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and also the registration deadline for the majority of potential claimants. Despite this much-publicized deadline, however, there is still a chance that certain claimants who have not yet registered to participate in the VCF could qualify to receive compensation for injuries or illnesses stemming from exposure to debris from the 9/11 attacks.

There are essentially two types of people who can potentially still register for benefits even though the October 3 deadline has passed:

• People who were not diagnosed with a WTC-related medical condition until after October 3, 2011

• People who suffer from a WTC-related medical condition that did not initially appear on the list of covered conditions when the fund was reopened, including prostate cancer and many cancers

Individuals who received a diagnosis after the reopening of the fund have two years from the date of diagnosis to register for benefits. Those diagnosed with illnesses recently added to the list of covered conditions have two years from the date that their condition was added or from the date of diagnosis, whichever is later. Regardless of your situation, however, the sooner you register for benefits, the sooner your claim can be processed by the VCF administrative apparatus.

With concerns rising about whether the allocated funds are sufficient to cover all claims, time is increasingly of the essence for anyone who has not yet registered. If you are suffering from a health condition you believe is related to debris exposure in the wake of 9/11, it may still be worthwhile to have your case evaluated by a Victim Compensation Fund law firm.