Note: The VCF cannot provide information about private settlements. The court order establishing that the action has been discontinued and/or dismissed, or the notice/letter of withdrawal filed on the ECF system in the relevant docket, must be dated on or before the date you submit your claim or amendment. The WTC Health Program has set specific minimum and maximum timeframes between an individuals 9/11 exposure and the onset of symptoms related to an eligible physical injury or condition. The VCF Act explicitly prohibits the VCF from compensating for Mental Health Conditions. If you ask individuals to complete the Witness Presence Statement in support of your presence, and the Statements are the only proof of presence you plan to submit in support of your claim, you must submit Statements from a minimum of two people and at least one must be from an individual who is not related to you or to the Personal Representative or Guardian (when applicable). The VCF encourages you to register now. You should also notify us once you have requested the letter from Goldman Sachs, so we know to expect it in support of your claim. Once you have qualified and received a completed proof of presence letter, you can upload it to your online claim or mail it to the VCF. To do so, the VCF needs the WCB number associated with the individuals Workers Compensation claim. Below is a sample of some of our recent awards for our clients: $4.4 million. A denial means the documentation you submitted in support of your presence was not sufficient to meet the VCFs needs. If you filed a FECA claim with the U.S. Department of Labor based on your 9/11-related work, the VCF may be able to obtain documentation directly from the U.S. Department of Labor to help verify your presence. Please see Section 1.4.e for more information specific to mental health conditions. But, aggressive prostate cancer is distinguished by its rapid growth and the speed with which symptoms spread throughout the body. Over 70 cancers including Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer and many others plus breathing and digestive conditions. The VCF will accept claims with settled 9/11-related lawsuits if you meet the following conditions: You may have settled all your claims and, in that case, as long as the lawsuit was commenced after December 22, 2003, and the release was tendered by January 2, 2011, you can submit a claim to the VCF. In the Health Program, exposure is defined as the duration of time (hours) between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002, that an individual was within the defined NIOSH New York City Disaster Area and inhaled a specified level of dust and/or smoke. This process, which is entirely automated checks to confirm the receipt of two specific documents the VCF must have before we can begin our preliminary review of a claim: After allowing time for these documents to be received by the VCF, the automated process will confirm that both documents are present in the online system according to the document type associated with each document. Your acceptance of settlement and release of claims must have been tendered on or before the date on which the condition for which you are seeking compensation was added to the list of qualified injuries by the World Trade Center Health Program. You may register online at www.claims.vcf.gov or over the phone by calling the VCF Helpline at 1-855-885-1555. Once we confirm we have a complete Signature Page and Exhibit A, we contact the WTC Health Program for information about your certified condition(s). When you submit a VCF claim, you waive your right to file a civil action (or to be a party to an action) in any federal or state court for damages sustained as a result of the terrorist- related aircraft crashes of 9/11, or for damages arising from or related to debris removal. The VCF considers medically associated conditions in determining the appropriate amount of compensation. If you are filing a claim on the victims behalf, you must submit the documents that are required for the VCF to validate your authority as an authorized representative. You should submit documents reflecting your WCB number. These forms may support presence where they: If you were a CWA member and completed this form, please first contact the local union you were a member of at the time of 9/11 to see if they have a CWA form for you in their files. Failure to provide detailed information relating to presence will result in the VCF sending you a Missing Information letter, which may result in your claim being denied if we are unable to get the additional detailed information needed to verify your presence. Please keep in mind, however, that VCF staff will not be reviewing these documents for sufficiency until your claim form and all required supporting documents are submitted. Note: The VCF is not able to pay any physician for providing this information or documentation. The Private Physician process is available only in the following limited circumstances: If the VCF determines that you are an appropriate candidate for the Private Physician process, the VCF will contact you and ask you to provide certain medical records and other information from a non-WTC Health Program physician. Is Prostate Cancer Screening Right for You? Dismissal/withdrawal before submitting the VCF claim or amendment (notice of withdrawal will suffice). See Section 2.1.a Valuation of non-economic loss for a listing of conditions considered to be presumptively severe. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, the VCF will contact you. [6] If you asked someone to write an affidavit on your behalf and the affidavit is signed and dated prior to this date, the VCF will accept the affidavit even if it is submitted after February 1, 2023. You should still submit other evidence (such as contemporaneous documents, Witness Presence Statements, or affidavits) demonstrating that you were physically present in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002, when you submit your claim. Rule for Newly Covered Conditions and Lawsuits Filed Before November 16, 2016:[3] If the condition for which you are seeking compensation from the VCF was added to the list of qualified injuries after January 2, 2012, you must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for compensation from the VCF: In cases meeting these criteria, where settlement occurred after January 2, 2011, only newly covered conditions will be considered eligible for compensation. Skin Cancer in September 11th Survivors | 9/11 Benefits - Pitta & Baione The VCF will deny your claim and will send you a letter with instructions on how to appeal. Show that you have a 9/11-related physical injury or condition that is certified for treatment by the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program or, in limited circumstances, that you have a physical injury or condition that was treated by your private physician and verified as 9/11-related through the VCFs, Show that you were present at one of the attack sites, within the. You should provide this form to individuals who witnessed you at the site or in the NYC Exposure Zone during the relevant time period. The VCF does not require you to submit original documents. The adult child may also grant the parent online access to the claim in the VCF claims system. Over 300,000 office workers were exposed to toxic air on 9/11 and in the 8 months that followed. Blood in the urine, frequent urination, a slower-than-normal urine flow, erectile dysfunction, and blood in the semen following ejaculation are all signs of prostate cancer. The Claim Filing Deadline is the same for everyone. The Registration Deadline is determined according to claim type, and varies based on individual circumstances. Documents in this category should be certified or be accompanied by a letter from an employee of the school or day care facility, or from your legal counsel (if an attorney is assisting you with your claim), confirming that the document submitted is a true and accurate copy. The VCF may be able to obtain records confirming presence from the New York State Workers Compensation Board for individuals who have made a Workers Compensation claim based on their 9/11-related work. Certain CWA members completed a CWA WTC Recovery/Cleanup Effort Exposure Information form, which was distributed by some CWA local unions and then provided to the CWA District 1 office upon completion. You must first attempt to obtain an appointment from the state probate or surrogate court where the victim lived. Police memo book submitted with the front cover including supervisory signature and opening and closing dates. The certification must come from a college, school or day care facility employee or your legal counsel (if applicable). The VCF does not require any of the forms to be completed by your physician; you may complete the Treating Physician Information Form.. Howard made a final determination to add Prostate Cancer to the list of Covered . It is important that you respond to all missing information letters within the timeframe specified in the letter. Witness Presence Statement. Exhibit A Authorization for Release of Medical Records(, Original and signed Exhibit A Authorization for Release of Medical Records(. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, the VCF will contact you. The adult child can then authorize the VCF to share information about the claim with a parent by adding the parent as an Alternative Contact on the claim form. Note: The VCF has agreements with certain employers, unions, and other organizations to provide information about presence in support of VCF claims. If one or both of these documents are missing, the system will automatically move the claim to Inactive status and an automated Missing Information letter will be generated. 911 Cancer Claim | 911 Cancer Fund & VCF Cancer Awards Explained In general, witnesses must show that they directly observed you at the eligible location, or must have been a supervisor or dispatcher who ordered you to that location and has knowledge that you in fact reported to the location. The VCF will contact you if any additional information is needed. Unsettled claims withdrawn/dismissed on or before January 2, 2012. Claims with Co-Personal Representatives: If the court has appointed multiple individuals as co-Personal Representatives for the victims estate, the co-Personal Representatives must designate among themselves who will serve as the Lead Personal Representative (Lead PR). In addition, Pitta & Baione is one of the only 9/11 law firms that handles every step of the claims process for our clients . Please be sure to select the correct document type when uploading documents to claims in the online system. Listed below are the categories of physical health injuries and conditions that may be certified by the WTC Health Program (presumptively covered conditions). If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, the VCF will contact you. Release tendered before the date on which the WTC Health Program added the individuals eligible condition to the list of qualified physical injuries. Individuals who were working as Installers at the Verizon building at 140 West Street in the week after 9/11; and. Our 9/11 VCF attorneys offer their services to you on a . The VCF provides compensation for losses resulting from physical injuries and conditions related to 9/11 exposure. Confirmation from the WTC Health Program that you have at least one physical condition certified for treatment. There are two exceptions to this general waiver rule that is, there are two types of permissible lawsuits that you can pursue and still file a claim with the VCF: As noted above, there are two types of 9/11-related lawsuits that you can pursue and still file a claim with the VCF. If you have a document that you believe can be used to prove your presence at an eligible location and it does not fall into one of the categories below, you should submit the document to the VCF to be reviewed. For civilian NYPD members, please refer to Section 1.7regarding documents needed to demonstrate proof of presence. Learn more about 9/11 cancers. Victim Compensation Fund payouts are available for prostate cancer 9/11 claims. To do so, the VCF needs the Workers Compensation Board number associated with the individuals Workers Compensation claim. You do not need to submit any proof of presence with your claim. Generally, the VCF provides compensation for the physical injuries and conditions that the WTC Health Program has found to be related to 9/11 and therefore are on the list of conditionsestablished by the WTC Health Program. If you have a document that you believe can be used to support your claim or your presence at a 9/11 site and it is not on the list below, you should submit the document to the VCF to be reviewed. Office workers who have become ill or who have died from conditions, including 69 different cancers, may be eligible for cash compensation. At least two documents, whether from the list below or otherwise, are required. Date by which lawsuit must be Dismissed/Withdrawn/Settled, After 12/22/2003 and before November 16, 2016. The resource includes information on eligibility criteria, the methodology used to calculate economic and non-economic loss, payment procedures, appeals and hearings, claims for deceased individuals, and information for claimants who are represented by an attorney for their claim. If you do not have any of these documents, you may still submit your claim form because the VCF may be able to obtain them from third parties. By statute, the VCF may not compensate for psychological conditions, but the WTC Health Program provides mental health treatment as part of their healthcare services. The VCF verifies and authenticates all documents you submit with your claim. Oh and Mount Sinai epidemiologist Emanuela Taioli, M.D., Ph.D., recently published a study in Molecular Cancer Research showing that one of the inflammatory responses within the prostate was an increase in an inflammatory T cell, called Th-17, in men exposed to the toxic dust. There are specific requirements for the date on which your 9/11-related lawsuit must have been filed, withdrawn, dismissed, or settled and released in order to be eligible for compensation from the VCF. For a listing of the types of documents that can assist the VCF in the evaluation of your claim, see Section 2.1.c Documentation of non-economic loss. Those dates are: October 12, 2012, for the various cancers identified in the WTC Health Program rule of the same date, February 18, 2014, for Rare Cancers that meet the definition as explained by the WTC Health Program on the same date, January 18, 2023, for Uterine Cancer, including endometrial cancer. Rental agreement, proof of rent payment, mortgage receipts, and/or utility bills that list your address within the NYC Exposure Zone. But if the new condition is a cancer and the award was only based on a non-cancer, you might consider amending your claim. For more VCF information or for questions, visit the VCF website or call the VCF directly at 1-855-885-1555. An official website of the United States government. Workers injury reports dated on or before September 11, 2003, documenting treatment of your injury that occurred at the site. Thus, the amount of compensation you received in VCF1 will be considered when determining whether additional compensation should be awarded. If you are filing a claim on the victims behalf, you must show that you have the legal authority to do so. This means that even if you have other certified or verified conditions, regardless of when they were certified or verified, they will not be eligible for compensation unless they were added to the list of qualified injuries after January 2, 2012, you settled and released your lawsuit prior to the date the specific condition was added to the list of qualified injuries, and you properly withdrew or dismissed any remaining lawsuits prior to filing your claim or amendment. 114-113. Individuals who received respirator training and were certified or approved to use those devices at Ground Zero on or before October 3, 2001. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, we will contact you. In very limited circumstances (set forth below), the VCF may evaluate the eligibility of the physical injury or condition through the Private Physician process, subject to verification by the Special Master with the assistance of the WTC Health Program Administrator. Second, you may pursue a civil action against any person who is a "knowing participant in any conspiracy to hijack any aircraft or commit any terrorist act." The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund ("VCF") was created on September 22, 2001, by Public Law No. If we are unable to confirm presence by speaking with the employer or organization, then the VCF will contact you to explain what we need and to request additional documents that show where you were and when you were there. Registration serves only to alert the VCF that you may be a potential claimant; and it meets the legal requirement of timeliness set forth in the law. If you are submitting statements from witnesses as proof of your presence, you must use the VCF Witness Presence Statement form. It is very important that you ask the Service Center to email the letter to the VCF official email address: VCF.Thirdpartyverification@usdoj.gov. Skin Cancer. As a general rule, the compensation you receive in this iteration of the VCF (VCF2) will be calculated based on the amount of compensation any similarly situated person who filed a claim only in VCF2 would receive; any compensation you received in VCF1 will then be applied as an adjustment to the award. The VCF will also seek information from the WTC Health Program for deceased individuals whose condition(s) was certified by the WTC Health Program prior to death, upon submission of an Exhibit A(for Deceased Individuals) by the victims authorized Personal Representative. If you do not have access to email, you may call human resources at 212-393-2222 and request a WTC verification letter to be sent directly to the VCF. In limited cases, the FDNY may be able to provide documents and/or information directly to the VCF regarding proof of an EMS members presence at the site. A claim has reached the final stages of substantive review when the status in the online system moves to Determination Made: Processing. The VCF will not allow any amendment in a deceased claim after a substantive determination on the compensation claim has been made, except in limited circumstances. If you are found to be eligible for compensation, the letter will list the physical injury or conditions for which you have been found eligible. The WTC Health Programs general guidelines are summarized below. The VCF will consider a number of factors to determine the appropriate award including whether the cancer has spread, will recur, or cause permanent complications. You should also submit other evidence (such as contemporaneous documents, Witness Presence Statements, or affidavits) demonstrating that you were physically present in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002, when you submit your claim. The prostate gland is found below the bladder. Hansen & Rosasco 9/11 lawyers represented and won $3.2 million for "loss of earnings" and "pain and suffering" VCF awards for a NYC police officer who became completely disabled by 9/11 . Prostate Cancer 9/11 VCF Payouts and Settlements The average pain and suffering VCF payout for prostate cancer claims ranges from $200,000-to-$250,000. Learn more. Examples of Documents to support Presence based on Employment: NOTE: The types of documents listed below should only be submitted if your employer is not able to complete and send the VCF Third Party Verification Form to the VCF on your behalf. This form is optional you are not required to submit this form as part of your claim. The list of required documentsis explainedin the subsections below according to the type of claim you are filing. The VCF (which stands for "Victim Compensation Fund") provides financial compensation for those who were physically injured or died as a result of an eligible 9/11-related illness (these include cancer claims ). were created contemporaneously with your alleged exposures. If you were employed by Goldman Sachs and worked at a Goldman Sachs office located in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002, Goldman Sachs may be able to provide you with a letter verifying your presence. The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program provides medically necessary monitoring and treatment for certified WTC-related health conditions. A 9/11-related lawsuit is any civil action in which you are seeking to recover damages based on your presence at a 9/11 crash site, your exposure to toxins, or a theory of causation related to your VCF-eligible condition or a VCF- compensable death (e.g., product liability, medical malpractice, etc.). The WTC Health Registry will provide you with an authorization form that authorizes the WTC Health Registry to release this information to the VCF. For all other individuals, the VCF generally needs proof documenting the amount of your settlement, the dates of commencement and release of all claims in the lawsuit, and the order dismissing any claims not part of the settlement. You should contact the employee verifications team by email at GS-HCM-Help-Americas@ny.email.gs.com and request an employment verification letter. If you received an award from the original September 11th Victim Compensation Fund that operated from 2001-2004 (VCF1), you must show that your VCF1 eligible injury or condition has substantially worsened, or that you have a new physical injury or condition which you had not suffered at the time of the VCF1 claim filing or which was not compensable at the time of VCF1; and that you have not already been fully compensated for your losses. Case Results 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Law Firm Note: The automated process will not confirm sufficiency or completeness of these documents this will be done by a VCF team member during preliminary review. 107-71, to provide compensation for any individual (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, or the debris removal efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath of those crashes. Once you receive the letter, you should upload it to your claim or mail it to the VCF. PCF & The VA: Shepherding Extraordinary Care. Different types of documentation are required depending on the representatives relationship to the victim. Prostate cancer is the most common type of non-skin cancer in the United States. You can notify us by uploading a note to your claim, or by calling our Helpline. Please note that the NYPD will not be able to provide the VCF direct access to the below listed documents. In the body of the email please include your first name, last name, last four digits of your social security number or your standard ID number, and the VCF official email address, VCF.Thirdpartyverification@usdoj.gov, where the employee verification team can directly send their response including the work history location letter. The form includes instructions for completing and submitting the form. Learn more here: JAMA Patient Page: Screening for Prostate Cancer. If contemporaneous documents from that time are not available, you should ask your employer to complete the VCF Third Party Verification form. Rule for Newly Covered Conditions and Lawsuits Filed Before November 2016:[2] If the condition for which you are seeking compensation from the VCF was added to the list of qualified injuries after January 2, 2012, your proof of timely withdrawal or dismissal from any lawsuit must be dated no later than the date you submit your claim or amendment seeking compensation for that condition. The letter will explain why the document(s) was not sufficient, and will include information about what you can do to correct the document, or suggest additional ways you may prove your presence. You should call the Bank of America Service Center at 1-800-556-6044 and request that they send the VCF a 9/11 work location history letter detailing your specific office address(es) during that time. Surgery, full prostatectomy or incontinence may impact payouts. The VCF has instructions for uploading documents to the online system. How Much Are VCF Cancer Payouts? - Top Class Actions Please contact the unions Safety & Health Department at 212-815-1685 and explain that you are interested in obtaining this information, if available. (844) 982-2667. Dismissal/withdrawal before January 2, 2012 (notice of withdrawal will suffice). The person you ask to be a witness must have been 18 years old or older on September 11, 2001. Settled fully and release tendered on or before the date on which NIOSH added the individuals eligible condition to the list of qualified physical injuries. The WTC Health Program website includes a map of the NIOSH-defined New York City Disaster Area, along with detailed information about the number of hours, dates, and levels of exposure that are required for purposes of certifying a condition for treatment. 9/11 Prostate Cancer Linked to WTC Exposure - Pitta & Baione Collateral sources are defined by the statute to mean all sources, including life insurance, pension funds, death benefit programs, settlement payments from September 11th-related lawsuits, and payments by federal, state, or local governments related to the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, or debris removal. You may submit either a court order establishing that the action has been discontinued and/or dismissed, dated on or before January 2, 2012, or a notice/letter of withdrawal filed on the Electronic Case Files (ECF) system in the relevant docket on or before January 2, 2012. If your office or work or volunteer location was located in the NYC Exposure Zone, or you were present at a 9/11 site because your job required you to be there, you should review the list in Section 1.9 to see if the VCF has a relationship with your employer or organization to get presence information directly from them on your behalf. Learn more on the VCF's Registration and Claim Filing Deadlines page. Therefore, you should be sure the witness follows the directions on the form and provides as much detail as possible when completing it. These are the conditions that the VCF will consider when calculating the amount of your award. If you were a CWA member who worked for Lucent Technologies in 2001, the VCF may be able to obtain records confirming presence. Many individuals have asked about gathering documentation now to support their presence for a potential future claim given that the VCF is open to take claims until October 1, 2090. One out of every nine men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. You must also submit the final order of the court confirming the withdrawal or dismissal of all claims. About Prostate Cancer. The WTC Health Program includes a Nationwide Provider Network (NPN) to serve members who live outside the New York City metropolitan area. If a complete form is sent directly to the VCF on your behalf, you do not need to submit any other proof of presence documents with your claim. The most prevalent cancers identified among September 11th survivors are non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer and female breast cancer. You should also notify us once you have requested the letter from the Department of Buildings, so we know to expect it in support of your claim. Title II of the Zadroga Act reactivated the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF II), expanded its pool of eligible claimants, and appropriated $2.775 billion for additional payments. Effective February 1, 2023, the VCF will no longer accept affidavits as proof of presence. If you want to provide additional details about your presence that are not already provided as part of your claim form responses, or to supplement or provide context for whichever of the documents listed below that you are submitting in support of your claim, you may complete and submit the VCF Victim Presence Statement. As a result, FDNY firefighters and fire officers do not need to submit any documents as proof of presence at the site unless the VCF specifically requests such documents. That order may be dated after January 2, 2012, only if you have provided proof that you filed a notice of withdrawal on the ECF system in the relevant docket on or before January 2, 2012. VCF Pain and Suffering Compensation for 9/11 Cancers Under the Zadroga Act, a 9/11 responder or survivor may be awarded up to $250,000 for non-economic losses related to their cancer condition. 114-222, may still file a VCF claim. Please view our definitive presence guide for a quick reference on some of the following entities. This list includes only major categories of conditions and is not meant to represent every type of eligible injury that falls within each category: Certain types of cancer as specified in the chart below: Rare Cancers defined as any type of cancer that occurs in less than 15 cases per 100,000 persons per year in the United States. Some examples of cancer that meet the rare cancer definition include, but are not limited to, the following: Childhood Cancers defined as any type of cancer diagnosed in a person less than 20 years of age..