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9/11 and Mental Health

It is no exaggeration to say that the 9/11 terrorist attacks inflicted psychological and emotional trauma on Americans from coast to coast — and indeed, on people around the world. No one alive on that...

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Toxic Toys

Each year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalls millions of dangerous consumer products. Many of these recalled products were intended for children....By: Michael Barasch

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New Research Points to Greater Cancer Risk For 9/11 Responders

We have talked extensively about the risk to workers and others exposed to environmental hazards at Ground Zero. A new study reflects the message of earlier research initiatives — exposure to...

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How the Sequester Could Affect Zadroga Act Benefits

For the past month or so, all the talk has been about the sequester and how it will affect some government services, such as security at airports. However, the sequester will also affect some...

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Eligibility for VCF Benefits

The eligibility requirements for obtaining compensation for the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund have changed....By: Michael Barasch

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Risks Associated with Robotic Surgery

Years ago, it seemed like science fiction — using robots to perform surgery. But now robot surgery has become a reality. But just how safe is it?...By: Michael Barasch

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Suing the State or a Municipality for Your Personal Injury

Sometimes your personal injury may be caused by the negligence of the State of New York or a municipality. But suing the government is not is not the same as suing other defendants. Because there are...

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Protecting the Rights of Those Who Protect Us

Protecting the Rights of Those Who Protect Us The events of September 11, 2001 cast a very public spotlight on the unique dangers faced by New York’s firefighters. They faced those dangers before that...

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Patient Rights Suffer Setback With Failure of Lavern’s Law

Patient Rights Suffer Setback With Failure of Lavern’s Law The recent failure in Albany of a measure known as “Lavern’s Law” means that New York remains one of only six states without a “date of...

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File Your Claim for WTC-Related Illness Now

If you or a loved one were present on a World Trade Center (WTC) crash or clean-up site after the 2001 terrorist attacks and suffered injury or subsequent illness, you may be eligible for compensation....

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Your WTC Claim: Make Sure It’s Done Right

In January of this year, initial payments were made to 15 claimants from the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). The recipients were all first responders currently experiencing respiratory...

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Filing a WTC Claim on Behalf of a Deceased Victim

Shortly after the devastating September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), the legislature created the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). That Fund, closed in 2004, provided about...

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Added Weight: Burden of Proof

Although it began payout to victims again in January of this year, the World Trade Center September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) will not likely ever be able to fully compensate each victim. While...

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Help is Available: VCF and WTCHP

Two programs provide relief to responders, recovery workers and others injured during the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States or by exposure to debris afterward....By: Michael Barasch

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Construction Accidents: More than Workers Comp

Trapped over three hours in mud the consistency of quicksand, a New York construction worker had begun to lose feeling in his legs after falling 15 feet into a trench. The mud, intensified by falling...

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Wrongful Death Construction Action Settled for $1 Million

On April 3, 2012, a Manhattan construction site became the scene of a fatal accident. Work to extend the No. 7 subway line halted when a 170-foot crane collapsed and showered pieces into the excavated...

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Deadline Déjà Vu for Comp Fund

It is simply human nature, indicated the director of a Washington-based victim-support organization, for people to put off taking action until a deadline looms. Just look at the tax-filing ordeal many...

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FDA Rule Change Could Hold Generic Drug Manufacturers Liable

In 2004, Nancy Bartlett, a secretary for a New Hampshire insurance company visited her doctor complaining of shoulder pain and was prescribed the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Clinoril. Ms....

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What to Do if Your WTC Health Claim Is Denied

To be eligible to receive free treatment for an illness under the Zadroga Act, your medical provider at the World Trade Center Health Program must submit an evaluation of your history and condition to...

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A Price Unknown: Settlement of the NFL Concussion Lawsuit

In late August, a class action lawsuit brought by former players against the National Football League (NFL) was settled for $765 million, a controversial price tag that raised questions even at the...

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Bright Lights Big Hazard: FDA Comments on Laser Toys

A few years ago, lasers were novel and used primarily in eye surgeries or in high-tech industries. Today, lasers are found in toys for children and even for cats. Recently, the Food and Drug...

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Where Is the 9/11 “Crash Site” Defined in the Zadroga Act That Affects Victim...

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, signed by President Obama in January 2011, sets aside $4.2 billion for the World Trade Center Health Program to test and treat workers,...

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Determining Liability in Trucking Accidents

If you’re like most people, you are probably more cautious when driving near large trucks and tractor-trailers. Your vigilance is warranted — semi-trucks and flatbeds can cause devastating accidents....

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How Other Benefits Can Offset VCF Payments

The funds that Congress set aside for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund are finite, and the number of claimants increases every day. To ensure fairness and stretch the funds as far as...

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The VCF Appeals Process

To improve the claims process, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund has increased its staff to 75, from 31 a year earlier. The biggest increases are in the number of document intake workers (now...

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The Importance of Taking Prompt Legal Action After an Accident

You may have heard or read that after suffering a personal injury in an accident, you should take legal action immediately. Why? Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may be facing costly...

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9/11-Related Lawsuits Against Terrorists

Filing a 9/11-related lawsuit against a terrorist organization may seem like a vain effort. But such litigation may in fact be an important part of our national healing process. Since those tragic...

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Toyota Settles Sudden Acceleration Case After Guilty Verdict

In 2007, Jean Bookout was at the wheel of her 2005 Camry with her friend Barbara Schwartz. The friends exited an Oklahoma highway before Ms. Bookout discovered she could not stop her car. The vehicle...

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What is the WTC Health Program?

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 has provided compensation to many 9/11 victims and their families, but the act has broader implications. The World Trade Center Health Program...

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Second Annual Victim Compensation Fund Released: Key Points

In November, the Special Master for the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) released a second annual report concerning activities undertaken in the last year to pursue the mandate of the...

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Second Annual Victim Compensation Fund Released: Future Focus

When the office of the Special Master of the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) for those injured in the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States issued its second annual report, it released information...

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Kickbacks, Misbranding and Criminal Accusations: Johnson & Johnson Agrees to...

The once-trusted healthcare products giant Johnson & Johnson entered into an agreement in November with the U.S. Department of Justice to pay one of the largest healthcare fraud settlements in U.S....

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New York World Trade Center Registry Reopened

After passage of New York Workers Compensation Law Article 8-A in August 2006, the window of opportunity for September 11 workers and volunteers who were injured or became ill to register a potential...

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Why the Need for Proof? Preventing Fraud

Although the need to prove any money claim is self-evident, the WTC Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) and other disaster relief funds are particularly susceptible to fraud. As federal, state and nonprofit...

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Do Not Miss This: VCF Deadlines

As with any legal claim or lawsuit, you must understand the time frame when you can file a claim. If you wait too long after suffering a personal injury, you can lose your right to recover...

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Officers Accused of Fraudulent Claims for PTSD after 9/11

More than 100 retired police officers, firefighters and correctional officers are being charged with Social Security disability fraud for allegedly faking the extent of their disabilities to unlawfully...

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Important Financial Facts about VCF Payments

Serious injuries often come along with significant financial difficulties brought on by medical bills and the reduction or total loss of income resulting from disability. Victims of WTC-related...

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Graco Recalls Millions of Faulty Car Seats

On the road, young children need to be in their seat — a safe car seat. Recently, Graco Children’s Products, Inc. recalled almost four million car seats because of a faulty buckle....By: Michael Barasch

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How Your Doctor Can Figure into the VCF Claims Process

The Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) claims process was designed to ensure compensation funds only go to people with legitimate diagnoses of WTC-related illnesses. As such, medical evidence plays a...

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GM Recalls 1.6 Million Cars for Deadly Defect

The weight of a key ring on certain GM models causes the car to shift from run to accessory. This kills the engine — and possibly killed at least 13 people....By: Michael Barasch

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Perspectives from the 9/11 Fund Special Master

Since the new Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) was opened more than two years ago, the special master appointed to oversee its administration, Sheila Birnbaum, has been highly visible and widely lauded...

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Are the Allocated VCF Funds Going to be Enough?

The expansion of VCF claim eligibility to victims of various cancers is a victory for first responders, rescue workers, cleanup workers and others who braved the aftermath of 9/11 to help pick up the...

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Hope for Victims of Hit-And-Run Accidents

A 14-year-old girl was struck by a hit-and-run driver before being hit by two other cars on February 6, 2014. The ninth grader was crossing Hempstead Turnpike when the driver of a passenger vehicle...

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The VCF: Who Is in Charge?

The September 11 Victims Compensation Fund (VCF) was created to provide compensation to people injured and killed because of the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. By law, operation of the...

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World Trade Center Health Program: Just the Facts

The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) provides assessment, monitoring and treatment services to eligible emergency responders and others who were injured and exposed to toxic chemicals during...

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Toyota Agrees to Pay $1.2 Billion to Settle Criminal Charges

In its continuing effort to put a recent history of death and defects behind it, Toyota Motor entered an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to pay $1.2...

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How Does the VCF Pay Your Award?

After the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) determines that you are eligible for an award, you have the right to accept the amount awarded or appeal if you believe the amount is inadequate. If you accept...

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The GM Recall: A Personal Loss

Recently announced vehicle recalls by General Motors (GM) are provoking a firestorm of response from consumers, regulatory agencies and the U.S. Justice Department. For one Wisconsin family, the storm...

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What Options Do You Have if You Suffer PTSD from 9/11?

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that develops after facing a traumatic event. With PTSD, the high adrenaline response to escape from danger is relived even though danger is...

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Distribution of VCF Proceeds Owed to Deceased Victims

Considering the serious nature of many WTC-related illnesses as well as the length of time that has passed since the September 11 attacks, it is an unfortunate reality that many victims have passed...

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