Hansen & Rosasco, LLP

​In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the health impact on the first responders and the hundreds of thousands of downtown area workers, residents and others was both immediate and far-reaching, often not felt until many years later. This post explains some lingering and newly diagnosed health effects of 9/11, such as many types of cancer, commonly experienced by first responders and those living, working, attending school, or visiting the area when the attacks occurred. For more information, please reach out to a 9/11 VCF lawyer.

 Respiratory and Digestive Issues

The “World Trade Center cough” was one of the first signs of exposure incurred at Ground Zero and the surrounding area. Doctors initially recognized the cough within the first six months after the attacks among members of FDNY and other responders who worked on rescue and recovery efforts at the debris pile. The condition included a persistent cough and other respiratory and digestive issues, including labored breathing, nasal congestion, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). For more information, please contact a 9/11 VCF lawyer.

Around 400,000 people worked, lived, and went to school in downtown NYC when the twin towers collapsed. in 2001. Recent data confirms that only about 8% (32,000) of these workers, residents, and students who were exposed to the 9/11 toxic fallout have benefitted from the twin 9/11 health and compensation programs. This leaves 368,000 downtown workers, residents and students who are likely eligible for lifetime 9/11 healthcare and tax-free compensation who likely do not know that they qualify.

Over 400,000 people who worked, lived, or went to school in lower Manhattan  inhaled toxic dust during the year after September 11th. The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) compensates those exposed to the toxic dust  for all losses from 9/11-related physical conditions, including pain and suffering. This explains how the VCF calculates economic loss to determine the amount of compensation awarded. For more information, please contact a 9/11 VCF lawyer.

There are various health effects of 9/11 first responders and survivors. 500,000 people were in the area near Ground Zero when the terrorist attacks occurred on September 11th, 2001. That total included around 360,000 people visiting or working inside area office and retail buildings, 91,000 responders and volunteers working on rescue and recovery operations, 57,000 area residents, and 15,000 children and staff in schools located south of Canal Street.

Two decades after the collapse of the World Trade Center spread a toxic dust plume of pulverized concrete, jet fuel, burning plastics, asbestos, heavy metals, and many other toxic and carcinogenic substances, over 100,000 people  have developed severe health problems linked to 9/11 toxic dust. Many of them – the first responders and downton workers, residents, students, and others – tragically suffer from 9/11  related eye and orbit cancer. For more information, please contact a 9/11 VCF lawyer.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act created the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) to provide free medical treatment and medical monitoring services for those who had incurred 9/11 toxic exposure. These individuals included responders working on the rescue, recovery, and cleanup of Ground Zero in the months that followed the attack, or as survivors, which is a term that refers to those who lived, worked, or attended school or daycare on 9/11 or shortly after.

500,000 people who worked, lived, went to school, and responded to the 9/11 disaster were exposed to the toxic mix of substances contained in the WTC dust plume that enveloped Lower Manhattan from 9/11 though mid-summer 2002. In the 20+ years since, over 100,000 have gotten sick with 9/11-related conditions, including many types of cancer. For more information, please reach out to our lawyers.

Individuals who have suffered a 9/11-related cancer or other illness can seek compensation for the expenses and impacts of their illness through the federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF).

The past twenty years have taught the medical community several things about toxic exposure. We now know that individuals exposed to the toxic dust from the collapsed towers on September 11th, 2001, are at a higher risk for cancer, respiratory, and digestive system diseases.