VCF Eligibility for Downtown Manhattan Students

As More Survivors Become Ill, VCF Claims Increase

After the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act reauthorized the VCF, fewer than two dozen claims were filed in the first two years by students, teachers, area residents, and others living, working, or visiting the area on the day of the attack.

Much of this was because many survivors—while aware that there was compensation available for first responders—did not know that there was also funding available for them. Additionally, everal people did not yet have a diagnosis that had resulted in a claim for pain and suffering and potential economic losses such as out-of-pocket medical expenses or even lost earnings.

In 2013, more than 500 survivors (defined as anyone who was not a first responder – the downtown area students, residents, and area workers) filed VCF claims. As awareness has grown, the numbers have continued to increase every year since then, except in 2020. Since 2018, survivors have filed more claims than responders, and as of the end of 2021, more than 30,000 survivors sought compensation through the program.

What types of Illnesses Compensated by the VCF?

To obtain funding from the VCF, student claimants must prove that they were in the area on or shortly after 9/11 and also suffering from a 9/11-related illness. The illnesses covered by the program are those listed by the WTC Health Program, another federal program that provides medical monitoring and treatment of certified 9/11 conditions. The VCF uses the WTC Health Program’s certification of conditions to satisfy the medical requirement for receiving compensation.

The WTC Health Program’s list of covered conditions includes more than 60 types of cancer, with many of the cancers impacting sufferers’ respiratory, digestive, urinary, or reproductive systems. Several other non-cancerous conditions can be certified as 9/11-related and compensated by the VCF, including the lungs and airways.

Nearly half of the VCF claimants have cancer as one of their eligible conditions. To date, the VCF has received claims from every state in the nation and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 31 foreign countries. Since the beginning of the program, the VCF has provided nearly $9 billion in compensation for over 40,000 people. An estimated 400,000 survivors were living, working, or attending school in the exposure zone—meaning that fewer than 10 percent of the individuals exposed to the toxic dust plume have applied for and received compensation.

How a Lawyer Can Help With Your VCF Claim?

If you were a student in Lower Manhattan during the 2001-2002 school year, an experienced legal team can provide services to assist you with obtaining compensation through the VCF, such as:

• Applying for the WTC Health Program. While this program is distinctly different from the VCF, the certification of 9/11-related conditions is necessary to be eligible to file a VCF claim. Additionally, many of our clients benefit significantly from the services provided by the WTC Health Program. We have a team of paralegals who spend their work time moving these applications along, mainly when they involve individuals suffering from terminal illnesses.

• Registering you with the VCF within two years of the date on which your 9/11-related medical condition was certified. Registration is not the same as filing a claim. However, it is required to reserve your right to file a claim before October 2090.
• Gathering the documents you need to clear the VCF’s administrative review and provide all of the information necessary for your claim’s substantive review. When VCF administrators find that required information is missing from a claim during the administrative review, they will place your claim in inactive status until those documents are received. We ensure that our client’s claims are not missing information that will delay the process.
• Documentation required for your claim includes information proving your exposure, wage loss, out-of-pocket expenses incurred due to your injury, death certificates, funeral expense records for VCF wrongful death claims, etc.
• Expediting your claim if you face extreme financial hardship or your condition is terminal.
• Assisting you in appealing your claim if you are not satisfied with the decision
• Exploring other avenues for assistance, such as state, local, and federal programs. We help our clients to determine if they qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and if so, we apply for those benefits for them.