Filing a lawsuit after November 2016 waives your right to file a claim with the VCF. For example, the minimum latency period for Prostate Cancer is four years. If your office or work or volunteer location was located in the NYC Exposure Zone, or you were present at a 9/11 site because your job required you to be there, you should review the list in Section 1.9 to see if the VCF has a relationship with your employer or organization to get presence information directly from them on your behalf. To be eligible for compensation, the VCFAct requires an individual to have suffered physical harm or death as a result of one of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, or debris removal. 9/11 Cancer Claims Under The VCF In the last 20 years, tens of thousands have filed either a 911 cancer claim or a claim connected to another illness with the Zadroga Act 's two programs: the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). Therefore, Claimants who allege presence based on work with the National Guard will still need to submit other evidence (such ascontemporaneous documents, Witness Presence Statements, or affidavits) demonstrating that they were physically present in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. Please note that the WTC Health Program and the VCF are different programs. The VCF Act defines immediate aftermath as any period beginning with the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, and ending on May 30, 2002. There are no requirements for the minimum amount of time an individual needed to be at a site for purposes of confirming presence. Examples of Documents to support Presence based on Employment: NOTE: The types of documents listed below should only be submitted if your employer is not able to complete and send the VCF Third Party Verification Form to the VCF on your behalf. For some claimants, telling their story about their time at a 9/11 crash site or in the NYC Exposure Zone is the only way to prove their presence. If your physical injury or condition is certified for treatment by the WTC Health Program, the VCF will generally find the injury or condition eligible subject to confirmation that other elements of eligibility, including presence at the site, are documented. Skin Cancer in 9/11 Responders and Survivors All of the eligibility criteria must be met to receive compensation. The Special Master recognizes, however, that such documents may no longer exist or may be impossible to obtain. If you were a CWA member who worked for Lucent Technologies in 2001, the VCF may be able to obtain records confirming presence. For civilian NYPD members, please refer to Section 1.7regarding documents needed to demonstrate proof of presence. World Trade Center Dust Link to 9/11 Prostate Cancer Cases Undefined malignant neoplasms also qualify. Please be aware that the WTC Health Program will prioritize patients who need treatment for appointments over those seeking certifications to support their VCF claims. This means that you waive your right to be party to a future lawsuit even before the VCF determines whether or not you are entitled to compensation. You must register for each of these programs separately. The VCF may be able to obtain records confirming presence from the New York State Workers Compensation Board for individuals who have made a claim to the WTC Volunteer Fund based on their 9/11-related work. Collateral sources are defined by the statute to mean all sources, including life insurance, pension funds, death benefit programs, settlement payments from September 11th-related lawsuits, and payments by federal, state, or local governments related to the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, or debris removal. If your condition is certified for treatment by the WTC Health Program, you do not need to submit any other records to support or demonstrate your condition. You may register at any time, so long as you do so before your individual deadline as outlined above. On January 2, 2011, the President signed into law the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act), Public Law No. On July 29, 2019, the President signed into law The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund(VCF Permanent Authorization Act), Public Law No. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of acceptable documentation. You should also notify us once you have requested the letter from Goldman Sachs, so we know to expect it in support of your claim. Settled fully and release tendered on or before the date on which NIOSH added the individuals eligible condition to the list of qualified physical injuries. The VCF considers medically associated conditions in determining the appropriate amount of compensation. TheVCF Act provides that you may either seek compensation from the VCF or you may file a lawsuit, but you cannot do both except under certain circumstances as explained below. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and documentation, the VCF will contact you. Our Team 9/11 Victim Programs Case Results Resources Contact Us 800-887-7299 ENEnglish ESSpanish Our Team Meet Dan Hansen Meet Troy Rosasco Our Team Why Choose Us 9/11 Victim Programs Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) WTC Health Program (WTCHP) You do not need to be sick or to have been diagnosed or certified with a 9/11-related condition in order to register. 9/11 Lawyers for WTC Victim Compensation Fund Claims | Hansen & Rosasco In order to save administrative expenses so that there would be more money for awards and to have uniformity, the Victim Compensation Fund Special Master determined that the VCF would follow the World Trade Center Health Program list of covered conditions when . It is therefore very important that you claim all losses and submit the required supporting documentation when you file your claim. Dismissal/withdrawal before submitting the VCF claim or amendment (notice of withdrawal will suffice). To be eligible for a VCF payout for prostate cancer the main eligibility criteria for the fund is that you were present on Canal Street as a first responder or in another capacity between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002, and developed an injury or illness because of it. All documents submitted with your claim are subject to verification and authentication procedures undertaken independently by the VCF. Please keep in mind, however, that VCF staff will not be reviewing these documents for sufficiency until your claim form and all required supporting documents are submitted. You should contact the FBI Call Center at 202-324-3333 to request the FBI proof of presence letter and once received, upload it to your claim or mail it to the VCF. SeeSection 1.9for additional information. Note: The VCF is not able to pay any physician for providing this information or documentation. If you were employed by the FBI and worked at a 9/11 crash site or in the VCFs NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002, the FBI can provide you with a letter verifying your presence at the site. As a result, FDNY firefighters and fire officers do not need to submit any documents as proof of presence at the site unless the VCF specifically requests such documents. For a listing of the types of documents that can assist the VCF in the evaluation of your claim, see Section 2.1.c Documentation of non-economic loss. Do Multiple Certified Conditions Increase a VCF Award Amount? Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) Awards & Payouts | Barasch & McGarry Required documentation for settled lawsuits: You must certify on your claim form that you have satisfied the requirements for settling your lawsuit. The NPN is available to WTC, Pentagon, and Shanksville responders and WTC survivors. 114-113. Prostate cancer is the most common type of non-skin cancer in the United States. The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program provides medically necessary monitoring and treatment for certified WTC-related health conditions. In many cases, the VCF can obtain additional information from third parties. There are two exceptions to this general waiver rule that is, there are two types of permissible lawsuits that you can pursue and still file a claim with the VCF: As noted above, there are two types of 9/11-related lawsuits that you can pursue and still file a claim with the VCF. But not every cancer will be compensated in that amount. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and documentation, the VCF will contact you. Section 2: Calculation of Loss (Compensation) | VCF We will explain both the World Trade Center Health Program, Victim Compensation Fund and qualifying cancers covered by Zadroga Bill in more detail during your appointment. To do so, the VCF needs the WCB number associated with the individuals Workers Compensation claim. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, the VCF will contact you. that is sent directly to the VCF from the employer or other third party, with specific dates and locations, is often sufficient to verify presence. The Registration Deadline isnotthe same for everyone. The VCF calculates each award individually using the following basic formula, as required by the VCF Act: Non-Economic Loss (pain and suffering), minus Collateral Offsets . If you are filing a claim on the victims behalf, you must show that you have the legal authority to do so. 114-222, may still file a VCF claim. The VCFs New York City Exposure Zone is used to determine an individuals presence for VCF eligibility purposes (and is not dependent on the length of time the individual was at the site), while the WTC Health Programs New York City Disaster Area is used to determine certification for treatment and requires a minimum amount of time spent in the designated area. You do not need to submit any additional information to demonstrate your presence at the site. Memo Book/Activity Log (must include cover page and excerpts of relevant portions with consecutive pages), Line of Duty Injury Report (must include an injury date within the relevant time period and signature of supervising officer), NYPD Consultation Referral Medical Division/NYPD Surgeon Form, NYPD Rescue Detail badge (must include victims name and photo), clearly identify a VCF-qualifying date and location of service; and. A 9/11-related lawsuit is any civil action in which you are seeking to recover damages based on your presence at a 9/11 crash site, your exposure to toxins, or a theory of causation related to your VCF-eligible condition or a VCF- compensable death (e.g., product liability, medical malpractice, etc.). This may happen if the completed form does not provide sufficient detail regarding your presence (i.e., your actual work or volunteer location and confirmation that you were present at that location at some point during the requisite time period), or about the source of the information used to complete the form. How Much Is The VCF with Cancer Claims Payouts - Parker Waichman LLP The VCF will consider a number of factors to determine the appropriate award including whether the cancer has spread, will recur, or cause permanent complications. Learn more. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, we will contact you. Please contact the unions Safety & Health Department at 212-815-1685 and explain that you are interested in obtaining this information, if available. Please only submit documents that are related to your 9/11-related eligible physical conditions. The form includes detailed instructions on how to complete it and where to send it once it is complete. Any area related to, or along, routes of debris removal, such as barges and the Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island. Therefore, you should still submit other evidence (such as contemporaneous documents, Witness Presence Statements, or affidavits) demonstrating that you were physically present in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. There is a separate deadline by which you need toregisterwith the VCF. In order to be eligible for compensation under the VCF, an individual must have been present at a 9/11 crash site or in locations of debris removal at any point during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. As a general rule, the compensation you receive in this iteration of the VCF (VCF2) will be calculated based on the amount of compensation any similarly situated person who filed a claim only in VCF2 would receive; any compensation you received in VCF1 will then be applied as an adjustment to the award. If you submit Letters of Administration, Letters Testamentary, or other Court Order that includes limitations that interfere with the VCFs ability to process or pay your claim, you will be advised in writing and given time to obtain the appropriate documentation.