Hansen & Rosasco, LLP

BREAKING:  New York City has released more than 170,000 pages of previously undisclosed records showing the air in lower Manhattan was not only unsafe – but also...

The health conditions covered by the World Trade Center Health Program have grown since its inception to include more 9/11-related health conditions. Most significantly,...

Yes. You can receive World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program benefits even if you do not live in the New York metropolitan area. Members who live outside the area...

Yes, you can collect Social Security Disability, workers' compensation, and a VCF award at the same time. The VCF rules recognize that many people receive disability...

You are not required to hire a lawyer to file a claim with the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). Some people hesitate to hire a 9/11 VCF attorney because...

Program statistics reflect official CDC/NIOSH data through June 30, 2026.

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) is currently taking about 15 months to decide and make an award on a claim. On May 5, 2026, the VCF issued the guidance on the timeline of decisions on claims, as follows:

When financial hardships hit, we understand the wait for help can be excruciating. While the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) monetary award was designed to provide vital support to those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), the time it takes to process a claim can be lengthy. Given the weight of physical, emotional, and financial burdens that come with a 9/11-related condition, many 9/11 survivors seek to accelerate the 9/11 VCF payout to find prompt financial relief. While the VCF claims process is designed to be thorough and equitable, there are provisions for expedited claims under certain dire circumstances. Your VCF claim may be expedited if you are experiencing a terminal illness or significant financial hardship.

Decades after September 11, 2001, thousands of individuals who lived, worked, or attended school in Lower Manhattan, and those who participated in rescue, recovery, and cleanup efforts, continue to face an increased risk of cancer and other illnesses due to toxic exposures from the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC). Many of these cancers develop silently and slowly, with symptoms appearing years or even decades later. That delay in the appearance of symptoms makes regular cancer screenings not just important, but essential for those exposed to the toxic dust cloud released in the attacks.

For more than two decades, 9/11 victims have lived with the consequences of a decision that was made quickly, quietly, and disastrously wrong. Workers, residents, students, and responders were told the air was safe to breathe. They were urged to return to work, to clean, to recover, to rebuild. Now, the newly released Harding Memo confirms what thousands have long suspected. New York City officials knew the air was unsafe, in fact, that it was dangerous, and they said otherwise anyway.