9/11-era NYC residents, including Japanese, urged to seek compensation
NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a New York attorney who has been a leading advocate for survivors
A New York attorney is urging 9/11-era residents, including Japanese nationals, to seek compensation through a federal program for any health issues linked to living or working near the World Trade Center site at the time of the attacks. Michael Barasch, who has been diagnosed with two types of cancer, encourages all who qualify to file claims with the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which can provide support internationally.
The fund and a 9/11-related federal healthcare program have seen massive increases in civilian survivor applications in recent years, outpacing those of first responders. Barasch, who represents about 50,000 civilians and first responders, including half a dozen Japanese nationals, emphasizes that people continue to get sick and die from illnesses related to exposure to toxins from the wreckage.
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 reopened the fund and established the World Trade Center Health Program, leading to a significant increase in new claims from 9/11 survivors not counted as first responders.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
