After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on the morning of September 11, 2001, few could have predicted the adverse health conditions first responders and others at Ground Zero would experience in the future. While most focused on the immediate severe injuries and deaths at the WTC and other terrorist attack sites, the effects of toxic dust exposure would take time to uncover.
Gregory Cannata & Associates, a premier law firm in New York City, represent first responders, members of the Fire Department New York (FDNY), debris removal crews, police officers, residents, office workers and others who later developed a 9/11-related illness due to WTC toxins. You must enroll in the WTC Health Program and have your illness certified as part of the process of seeking compensation from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Please call Gregory Cannata & Associates at 1-888-982-8428 to determine eligibility and request our services with filing a VCF claim, including gaining access to the WTC Health Program.
The James Zadroga Act was named for a 34-year-old New York City police officer who died of respiratory disease in 2006. The legislation passed by Congress authorized funds for certain types of cancer and non-cancer 9/11-related illnesses. It was renewed in 2010, 2015, and permanently in 2019. Since the first version of the James Zadroga Act authorized funds in 2004, nearly 60,000 people have applied to the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) with respiratory health conditions such as:
Other noteworthy facts about 9/11-related illnesses related to the respiratory system include:
The longer the exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero, the more likely you have developed a serious respiratory health condition. Gregory Cannata & Associates are here to help you claim the VCF COPD awards you're entitled to receive. Call us today at 1-888-982-8428.
COPD is an inflammatory condition of the lungs that interferes with airflow to and from the lungs. People with COPD often had chronic bronchitis or emphysema first. Smoking and cigarette smoke exposure are common causes of COPD. However, even non-smokers exposed to toxic dust and fumes from Ground Zero have also developed COPD.
According to air pollution expert Thomas Cahill, dust from the collapsed World Trade Center buildings was extremely toxic. The fact that much of the toxic dust came from pulverized concrete is one reason for the increase in WTC toxins. A strong connection between inhaled concrete and silicosis existed prior to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Scientists who studied the non-concrete rubble from Ground Zero determined that it contained more than 2,500 unique types of contaminants. If you have COPD, you may have also inhaled toxic fumes from fires that burned in the New York City Exposure Zone until December 2001.
Here are the most common symptoms associated with COPD:
People with COPD can experience events called exasperations. That means their symptoms worsen beyond their usual daily symptoms and persist for several days.
If you have any of these symptoms but do not yet have a diagnosis of COPD, we will help you obtain a proper diagnosis through the World Trade Center Health Program. A confirmation of your diagnosis also makes you eligible to apply for VCF COPD awards. The personal injury attorneys at Gregory Cannata & Associates have several years of experience representing claimants and helping them receive the medical care and compensation they need.
Besides concrete dust, you may have inhaled chemical products from burning building materials and alkaline dust from building material blown apart in the terrorist attacks. Alkaline inhalation can lead to problems such as COPD and other respiratory health conditions. Alkaline silica dust from the numerous dust clouds caused inhaled dust to lodge in the small airways of first responders and others present in the New York City Exposure Zone.
Scarring, narrowing of the airways, and inflammation are the most common symptoms from exposure to dust clouds comprised of alkaline silica dust. For some people present in Lower Manhattan after the terrorist attacks, the dust settled into their sinuses and nose rather than the small airways. This type of exposure likely worsened pre-existing conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis, or chronic sinusitis.
Before you can receive VCF COPD awards, you must register for the WTC Health Program and have a program official confirm your diagnosis and causation to your exposure on or after 9/11. Your attorney will help you follow these steps to register for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund:
With your written consent, our attorneys will locate the necessary proof for you. Common examples include an old lease statement or mortgage, verification of employment, or signed affidavits from people who witnessed your presence in the New York City Exposure Zone, debris removal routes, the World Trade Center, or other site impacted by the terrorist attacks.
The general answer is Yes. A deceased claim is one in which a family member files a VCF claim on behalf of someone who died due to an eligible 9/11-related illness. When you file a new deceased claim, the VCF requires you to submit all supporting documents and claim all losses before the claim reaches the final determination status. You can amend a VCF claim at any time before it reaches this status. The VCF allows exceptions for a deceased claim; call Gregory Cannata & Associates to see if your loved one’s death claim is eligible and timely.
When considering which law firm to work with to pursue your VCF award, consider the experience of its attorneys in securing compensation for people affected by 9/11-related illness and wrongful death. Gregory Cannata & Associates has represented first responders, police officers, office workers, students, residents, and numerous others in the New York City Exposure Zone since 2004.
We have worked with 9/11 victims continuously as early as 2004 when the program received funding. Our attorneys have a deep understanding of the VCF and have represented thousands of people with 9/11-related illnesses. Please contact us for a free consultation at 1-888-982-8428.
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