The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is still open. First responders, recovery workers, residents, and area workers who developed cancer after exposure to World Trade Center toxins may be entitled to significant awards — at no cost to pursue.
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, signed in 2010 and made permanent in 2019, established the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund to compensate individuals who developed cancer and other serious illnesses after exposure to Ground Zero toxins. The exposure zone covers Lower Manhattan below Canal Street, parts of Brooklyn within 1.5 miles of the World Trade Center, and other areas affected during rescue, recovery, and cleanup operations. Eligible periods of presence extend from September 11, 2001 through May 30, 2002 for most claimants, with extended windows for those who continued working in the area.
To qualify, you must have been present in the defined exposure zone during an eligible period and have since been diagnosed with a cancer the World Trade Center Health Program certifies as WTC-related. Qualifying cancers include blood and lymphoid cancers (lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma), head and neck cancers, digestive system cancers, urinary system cancers, thyroid cancer, mesothelioma, and many others. The VCF remains open to new and amended claims; the deadline to file is October 1, 2090 for most claimants under current law.
Those who ran toward the towers — and those who lived and worked in their shadow — deserve the recognition and compensation the law provides.
Everything you share during this review — including your medical history, exposure details, employment records, and contact information — is handled with strict confidentiality. We do not sell, rent, or share your information with third parties outside of our legal team. Your participation creates no obligation to proceed with a claim.
VCF award amounts depend on your cancer type, economic losses, and non-economic harm. The Fund compensates across multiple categories:
Costs of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, hospital stays, specialist visits, and medications related to your WTC-linked cancer diagnosis.
Ongoing treatment, monitoring, follow-up procedures, and long-term care costs projected for the remainder of your illness and recovery.
Earnings lost due to time away from work during treatment and recovery, including periods of disability directly caused by your cancer diagnosis.
Lasting reduction in your ability to work caused by your illness, treatment side effects, or permanent physical limitations.
Pain and suffering, emotional distress, diminished quality of life, and loss of enjoyment of activities you could no longer pursue due to your illness.
For families who lost a loved one to a WTC-related cancer: funeral and burial expenses, loss of future financial support, and loss of companionship.
Qualifying cancers include blood and lymphoid cancers (lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes), head and neck cancers, digestive system cancers, urinary system cancers (bladder, kidney), thyroid cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer (with certain staging requirements), and other solid tumors certified by the World Trade Center Health Program. Presence in the exposure zone must be documented; qualifying periods generally run from September 11, 2001 through May 30, 2002, with extensions for ongoing recovery and cleanup workers.
See if you qualifyAt Parker Waichman LLP, we represent 9/11 first responders, survivors, and area workers pursuing VCF claims for cancer and other WTC-related illnesses. Our attorneys understand the Fund's certification requirements, award methodology, and the documentation that distinguishes a well-supported claim from one that leaves money on the table.
Our attorneys have worked with first responders, survivors, and area workers filing claims with the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. The team reviewing your claim understands VCF eligibility rules, cancer certification requirements, and the documentation the Fund requires.
VCF awards are calculated using federal guidelines — but the quality of your submission directly affects the outcome. We build claims designed to document the full scope of your economic and non-economic losses.
You pay nothing up front and nothing during the process. Fees only apply if we recover compensation on your behalf.
This is an advertisement for the law firm Parker Waichman LLP, focused on handling claims and disputes related to injuries caused by World Trade Center – Zadroga 9/11. The content on this webpage is provided for informational purposes only by Parker Waichman LLP. This site contains general information that may not be current, assumes certain findings of fact, and is for illustrative purposes only. Each case is unique, and a thorough review of your particular circumstances would be required to provide a proper assessment.