September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (2015 Update)

The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) was originally established by Congress on September 23, 2001, less than two weeks after the terrorist attacks. At that time, the Fund was primarily concerned with compensating victims of that tragic day and their families.

On January 2, 2011, President Obama signed into law the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act), which authorized reopening of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The Zadroga Act expanded the scope of the original VCF to enable more individuals, including first responders, clean-up workers and area residents, who suffered physical injury (including cancer) or death as a result of the toxins associated with the World Trade Center cleanup to obtain compensation from the program. 

As the re-opened 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund approaches its fifth and final year in 2016, thousands of responders, workers, area residents, and their families are receiving much-needed financial awards for the pain, suffering, and lost wages caused by 9/11-related illnesses and injuries. The Fund has implemented many procedural changes and operational improvements since that have increased the eligible pool of claimants and the processing speed of claims.

For those affected by 9/11, it is important to understand how the Fund has evolved and explore the direction it is headed.  Join Troy Rosasco, a long time 9/11 victims attorney and Adjunct Professor at St. John’s University School of Law, as he explains the past, present, and future state of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Learning Objectives:

I.       Grasp how the reopened 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund has progressed operationally and procedurally since its 2011 start date

II.      Understand the implications of past deadlines and those yet to come

III.     Explore and analyze the most recent statistics released by the Victim Compensation Fund

IV.     Consider the future of the Victim Compensation Fund in light of newly proposed legislation 

V.      Discuss concerns commonly presented by both current and prospective claimants