real6
12-03-2010, 02:29 PM
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7059489.ece
Rescue and recovery workers who were exposed to a toxic brew of smoke and dust in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks have been awarded $650 million in a compensation deal struck in New York.
Thousands of 9/11 heroes, including firefighters, police officers, construction experts and emergency workers, have filed lawsuits since 2003 but last night’s agreement is expected to put an end to years of legal battles.
The settlement, worth up to $657.5 million (£434 million), was reached after negotiations between lawyers representing more than 10,000 people exposed to the debris from the World Trade Center and New York City’s federally financed insurer.
Some workers are likely to receive payments of only a few thousand dollars. Others could be in line to get more than $1 million, depending on their injuries.
Related Links
* Dramatic new images of September 11 attack
* Fury at 9/11 mastermind's trial near Ground Zero
* Bush raised Iraq with Blair three days after 9/11
The deal, which still must be approved by a judge and the workers themselves, would make the city and other companies represented by the insurer liable for a minimum of $575 million (£379 million), with more money available to the sick if certain conditions are met.
Most if not all of the money would come out of a $1 billion grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the settlement “a fair and reasonable resolution to a complex set of circumstances”.
“The resolution of the World Trade Center litigation will allow the first responders and workers to be compensated for injuries suffered following their work at Ground Zero,” he said in a statement.
The settlement was announced last night by the WTC Captive Insurance Co., a special body established to indemnify the city and its contractors against potential legal action as they moved to clean up the site.
“We have reached a settlement that is fair under difficult and complicated circumstances,” said Christine LaSala, the company's president.
“This agreement enables workers and volunteers claiming injury from the WTC site operations to obtain compensation commensurate with the nature of their injuries and the strength of their claims, while offering added protection against possible future illness."
Compensation claims have been made against 90 defendants, including the city and the private companies hired to clean up the site.
Rescue and recovery workers who were exposed to a toxic brew of smoke and dust in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks have been awarded $650 million in a compensation deal struck in New York.
Thousands of 9/11 heroes, including firefighters, police officers, construction experts and emergency workers, have filed lawsuits since 2003 but last night’s agreement is expected to put an end to years of legal battles.
The settlement, worth up to $657.5 million (£434 million), was reached after negotiations between lawyers representing more than 10,000 people exposed to the debris from the World Trade Center and New York City’s federally financed insurer.
Some workers are likely to receive payments of only a few thousand dollars. Others could be in line to get more than $1 million, depending on their injuries.
Related Links
* Dramatic new images of September 11 attack
* Fury at 9/11 mastermind's trial near Ground Zero
* Bush raised Iraq with Blair three days after 9/11
The deal, which still must be approved by a judge and the workers themselves, would make the city and other companies represented by the insurer liable for a minimum of $575 million (£379 million), with more money available to the sick if certain conditions are met.
Most if not all of the money would come out of a $1 billion grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the settlement “a fair and reasonable resolution to a complex set of circumstances”.
“The resolution of the World Trade Center litigation will allow the first responders and workers to be compensated for injuries suffered following their work at Ground Zero,” he said in a statement.
The settlement was announced last night by the WTC Captive Insurance Co., a special body established to indemnify the city and its contractors against potential legal action as they moved to clean up the site.
“We have reached a settlement that is fair under difficult and complicated circumstances,” said Christine LaSala, the company's president.
“This agreement enables workers and volunteers claiming injury from the WTC site operations to obtain compensation commensurate with the nature of their injuries and the strength of their claims, while offering added protection against possible future illness."
Compensation claims have been made against 90 defendants, including the city and the private companies hired to clean up the site.