The James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act reopens the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. The fund was designed to provide compensation for economic and non-economic losses to individuals or relatives of deceased individuals who were killed or physically injured as a result of the 9/11 attacks.
Detective James Zadroga, for whom the Act was named, passed away in 2003 from Black Lung Disease, which he contracted from 450 hours of cleanup and rescue operations in the aftermath of 9/11 and at Ground Zero. Today, 9/11 responders and rescuers who suffer respiratory and gastrointestinal problems and certain types of cancers can seek compensation under the Zadroga Act. On Monday, April 21, 2014, the following four cancers were added to those already covered under the law:
- Brain cancer — Jeff Stroehlein, a New York firefighter who started working at Ground Zero three days after the 9/11 attacks, is one of many first responders suffering from brain cancer. Cancer of the brain is a serious illness that requires extensive treatment and can ultimately be terminal.
- Cervical cancer — When caught early on, cervical cancer is a highly treatable disease. However, without prompt treatment, cervical cancer can be fatal.
- Pancreatic cancer — NYPD Detective Thomas Weiner contracted pancreatic cancer because of the 60 hours he worked on the toxic rubble. In 2003, he succumbed to the fatal disease.
- Testicular cancer — Testicular cancer is a rare form of cancer that typically affects males between the ages of 15 and 34 years old. Rarely fatal, the disease is highly treatable, especially if it is detected early on.
There’s no question that the New Yorkers who worked on the 9/11 site are American heroes. The Zadroga Act provides some level of compensation for those who have suffered and continued to suffer from serious medical conditions as a result of their selfless bravery. If you or your loved one contracted an illness that may be linked to the WTC attack, the injury attorneys at Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson are here to help you obtain the coverage you deserve.
