The recent passing of a veteran NYPD cop who rushed to the World Trade Center on September 11th is yet another unwelcome reminder that cancers and other illnesses related to that terrible day continue to take the lives of first responders, recovery workers, and others.
Officer Richard Lopez, 52, passed away due to cancer he contracted during his duty assignment at Ground Zero following the terrorist attacks. A 20-year NYPD veteran and former Marine, Lopez worked at the World Trade Center site for months after 9/11 engaged in search, rescue, and recovery operations. He left behind a wife and daughter.
Like thousands of others who toiled at the site, Lopez was exposed to and inhaled the “toxic cloud” of carcinogens such as asbestos, glass fibers, lead, dioxins, PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and other toxins and contaminants which arose from the World Trade Center rubble.
These toxins have sickened and killed thousands who worked at Ground Zero in the dark days after the Towers fell. Thousands of cases of 9/11-related cancers and other ailments have already been confirmed in WTC first responders, and those numbers are expected to grow. During the first decade after 9/11, 697 cancers were diagnosed among 15,507 participants in the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), and the NYPD alone has lost at least 137 officers to 9/11-related conditions.
As we reported earlier this year, a recent study concluded that police officers, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders should expect to see higher than average incidences of cancers over the coming decades, including a higher risk of
developing prostate cancers, thyroid cancers, and melanoma skin cancers.
The report authors emphasized that these elevated cancer risks underscore “the importance of cancer prevention efforts and routine screening in WTC-exposed rescue and recovery workers.
For 9/11 first responders and others who have been diagnosed with a covered cancer, such routine cancer screenings, along with monitoring and treatment, may be available cost-free through the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).
According to the WTCHP, more than 8,000 firefighters, first responders, and other survivors who have been diagnosed with 9/11-related cancers had enrolled in the program through December 31, 2017.
If you have questions or need help registering for cancer screening or treatment through WTCHP or wish to file a claim with the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, please contact us. At Turley Hansen & Rosasco, our 9/11 lawyers work closely with individuals and families to fully understand their situation, challenges, and needs. Inspired by the courage of these families, we have recovered over $75 million in 9/11 compensation on behalf of over 1,200 clients, including hundreds of police officers, firefighters, cancer patients and their families. We are the only law firm in the United States focused exclusively on representing victims and first responders for their 9/11 related cancers, illnesses, and injuries.
Please call us at 1-855-WTC-INFO (982-4636) or fill out our contact form to schedule a free claim review today.
800-887-7299