Category Archives: Zadroga Act
What Does the New VCF Cap on Cancer Awards Mean for 9/11 Survivors?
When Congress reauthorized the Zadroga Act, renewing the Victim Compensation Fund for five years, some substantive changes were made. The new law places a cap on pain and suffering awards for cancer at $250,000 and for non-cancer illnesses at $90,000. But that does not mean new claimants will necessarily receive lower awards than previous claimants […]
Zadroga Act Rule Changes Seek to Reduce Burden on Claimants
When the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Reauthorization Act went into effect last December, Congress charged the Justice Department with writing a rule to implement it. The Attorney General appointed Sheila L. Birnbaum as Special Master, and Ms. Birnbaum recently published the Interim Final Rule for the VCF. Potential claimants should be aware […]
Reauthorized Zadroga Act Changes Deadline and Eligible Conditions
When Congress passed the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Reauthorization Act on December 18, 2015, it made certain changes to the substance of the law. When the VCF Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum published the Interim Final Rule to address those changes, the announcement highlighted the key changes. The new Zadroga Act: Extends […]
Zadroga Act Special Master Publishes Interim Final Rule
Sheila Birnbaum, special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. When Congress voted to reauthorize the Zadroga Act, it charged the U.S. Department of Justice with the task of writing regulations for its implementation and assigned statutory deadlines for completion. The Attorney General selected Sheila Birnbaum to serve as Special Master for the September […]
NIOSH Study Finds High Rate of Neuropathy in WTC Survivors
The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine recently published a study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) finding that WTC survivors are at a greater risk for neuropathy symptoms than are Type 1 diabetics. This study reinforces the recent findings of related experiments by doctors at Long Island’s prestigious Winthrop University […]
Retired NYPD Cop and 9/11 Survivor Blasts Sen. Ted Cruz
A former NYPD officer who was forced to retire due to 9/11-related cancer has written a scathing Op-Ed for the New York Daily News, taking Sen. Ted Cruz to task for what he regards as hypocritical statements about law enforcement. In a post dated February 2, 2016, Fred Krines writes: “[Cruz] can’t call himself a […]
Doctor on Trail of Neuropathy Finds Source in WTC Dust
We’ve reported several times recently on studies linking peripheral neuropathy to the dust of Ground Zero. A recent column on the website for the civil service employees’ weekly newspaper, The Chief, gave further details about how a doctor’s observations of 9/11-related illness in patients led to the experiments that strongly suggest a link. For years, […]
Zadroga Act Crusader Gets Keys to NYC
On January 9, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented former FDNY firefighter Ray Pfeifer the keys to the city at City Hall in honor of his tenacious advocacy of Zadroga Act reauthorization. Pfeifer, currently battling stage-four renal cancer, played a pivotal role in persuading Congress to continue health benefits for sick 9/11 responders until the year […]
