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Shortly after the 9/11 incident, a Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) was created to cater to the victims, persons who were present at the World Trade Center or the surrounding New York City Exposure Zone.

The compensation is not only limited to victims of the incident. It's also available to those who worked or volunteered in construction, clean-up, and debris removal, as well as people who lived, worked or went to school in the exposure zone. 

Even if you are not a volunteer or a rescue worker, you can still get access to the compensation and medical benefits. You just had to be there.

Photo by Daria Obymaha: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mother-and-daughter-on-grass-1683975/

Who is Eligible?

The Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) provides compensation and lifetime free healthcare to residents, workers, and students of the 9/11 disaster. This fund is not limited to only first responders.

No matter where you currently live now in the United States, what matters most is where you were on 9/11 and in the months that followed.

You may be eligible for compensation if you lived, worked, or went to school in the exposure zone. Many 9/11 victims are surprised to learn that they are eligible, even if they have moved far away from the vicinity of the attack. You can speak to a 9/11 personal injury lawyers about your eligibility and how you can get your compensation.

Who qualifies for the 9/11 Compensation Fund?

Here’s how to know if you qualify for the VCF;

●      You were present at the site of the attack or the exposure zone. This includes the New York City exposure zone or any other sites attacked (lower Manhattan south of Canal Street) between 9/11 and May 30, 2002.

●      You have a family or someone close who died as a result of the attack. And you have the legal right to seek restitution for the wrongful death of a loved one caused by a 9/11-related condition.

●      Through the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) certification, you can prove that the 9/11 attack physically impacted you. Registration for VCF is valid only when done two years from when the prospective claimant received a certification of a 9/11-related medical condition.

Categories of people affected by the aftermaths of the 9/11 incident

After the attack, some people were affected by the toxic dust plume and rubles.

General responders

Government emergency agencies were not the only ones in the exposure zone. Other agencies, employees of private companies, and members of local unions also showed up at the zones and along the rubles removal route assisting in the rescue, recovery, and clean-up efforts.

This puts many people at risk of diseases related to toxic exposure.

New York Fire Department Responders

In attempts to rescue and prevent further hazards, many New York Fire Department Responders were at the exposure zone until several weeks after the incident.

Many succumbed to respiratory illnesses and other life-threatening diseases that needed compensation and medical support.

Family of the deceased of the 9/11 attack

Losing a family member results in the loss of the deceased's support, company, and social interactions and the loss of the wage necessary to keep the family financially solvent.

Through the Victim Compensation Fund, those who have lost a loved one to the 9/11 attack may seek compensation. Typically, the deceased's family or an authorized representative of the deceased's estate must present documents that clarify the 9/11 incident was the cause of their loved one's death.

Survivors of the 9/11 incident

The Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) is open to the survivors of the tragic 9/11 attack. These include;

●      Residents living around the exposure zone

●      Students and teachers living around Downtown Manhattan

●      Area construction workers and emergency workers

The compensation funds to assist victims of the 9/11 disaster are;

●      World Trade Center Health Program - this program is created to provide free healthcare and lifetime medical services for 9/11 victims.

●      9/11 Victim Compensation Fund - this provided monetary compensation to responders, victims' families, students, workers, and everyone impacted by the disaster.

How do you prove your presence and get compensated?

To be compensated through the VCF, survivors must prove to have been at one of the exposure sites between 9/11 to May 2002.

Some of the documents you can present are Employment records showing you worked at the exposure zone or that you lived around the attack site.

How to Prove Your Illness is Related to 9/11

The World Trade Center Health Program keeps track of ailments that have conclusively been linked to the chemicals produced on 9/11. Diagnosis standards have also been set. WTCHP medical centers carry out diagnosis.

To be compensated through the VCF, you will demonstrate that your disease was caused by toxic exposure on 9/11 by having the WTCHP certify your state of health.

You can visit any WTCHP center in New York or other locations to receive medical tests and certification.