The New York Disability Law Blog : New York Disability Lawyer & Attorney : Turley, Redmond & Rosasco : Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Nassau, Suffolk, Bronx, Staten Island

Troy Rosasco, a Partner at Turley, Redmond, Rosasco & Rosasco, LLP, has announced that as of December 5, 2011, the actual Zadroga Act Victim Compensation Fund “Compensation Claim Form” is now available online for those who were sickened or physically injured as the result of being exposed to airborne toxins from the Ground Zero site after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

This means that eligible 9/11 claimants, with or without attorneys, can file their Zadroga Act Victim Compensation Fund claims today. According to Mr. Rosasco, “Especially during the holiday season, many sick and destitute 9/11 victims will now find newborn hope that their anguish will be lifted in the coming New Year.”

On December 5, 2011, Sheila Birnbaum, Special Master of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, released the actual Compensation Claim Forms for both deceased and personal injury claimants, which are available online at www.vcf.gov.

Claimants should complete this form if they were physically injured as a result of the September 11, 2001 debris removal efforts; they were present at one of the crash sites (or in the path of debris removal) between September 11, 2001 and May 30, 2002; and they wish to be compensated from the VCF rather than file a lawsuit.

Claimants have until October 13, 2013 to complete the form. The new September 11th Fund form also has a 21 page set of "instructions" to help file your claim  and a helpful "9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Document Checklist" .  

While it is strongly suggested that the forms be filled out online, they can be mailed as well. Mr. Rosasco suggested that those who may be currently experiencing financial difficulty should file as soon as possible. 

“Here we are almost one year after President Obama signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 into law, and all the "pre-season" hard work of the Special Master and the Department of Justice brought us to the real “Opening Day” of the Victim Compensation Fund," Mr. Rosasco said. “Now the long season of individual compensation claim evaluations and potential hearings will begin.”

“A roadblock that claimants faced in order to get their fair share of the $2.775 billion Victim Compensation Fund has finally been lifted,” Mr. Rosasco's partner, Daniel J. Hansen said. “Thanks to the Special Master, claimants will have ample time to fill out the forms. Now that all the formalities have been taken care of, these heroes who unknowingly worked in the face of danger are able to receive the compensation they justly deserve.”

For more information, call 1(855) WTC-INFO or visit www.zadrogaclaimsinfo.com

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Whenever I am asked to give a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminar for my fellow attorneys, I try and put my best effort into both the live presentation and the written materials. I recently did a Disability Claim video  CLE for Lawline, the nation's top online CLE producer, and it is clear to me that online CLE for attorneys is a fantastic option for those who do not have the time (can anyone identify!) to attend a live lecture.

The video CLE was entitled "Disability Insurance Claims Primer: The Plaintiff's Perspective", and the presentation focused on both the law and practical pointers involving private disability income insurance policies for professionals and employer based long term disability claims governed by ERISA.  Thankfully, it is getting top reviews from lawyers around the country.

The presentation and PowerPoint materials follow a hypothetically disabled trial attorney, " Atticus Finch" , and the reasons he can no longer do one or more of  the "material and substantial" duties of his profession.

It also touches on Short Term Disability, New York Workers' Compensation claims,  and Social Security Disability claims. About the only thing it does not touch on is Zadroga 9/11 Act claims, but then again the Zadroga Act  wasn't law yet! 

Like all my CLE presentations, I do not get paid for either the presentation or any re-broadcast.  I consider it a way to give back to the profession which has given me so much satisfaction over the years. I just finished a second Lawline CLE presentation on a brand new federal statute which should be appearing on a laptop near you shortly!

So if you need some extra CLE credit, pull out your laptop in the comfort of your own home, and check out my Disability Insurance Claims Primer, or one of the other great Lawline CLE courses.

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Christopher M. Redmond, a Senior Partner at the New York Workers' Compensation Law Firm of Turley Redmond Rosasco & Rosasco, LLP, has opened a new office on Main Street in Sag Harbor, NY to serve injured workers from Montauk, East Hampton, Bridgehampton, Southampton, Sag Harbor and Hampton Bays.  He will continue to see clients from Westhampton and East Moriches in our existing Riverhead office.

While other places of the country continue to see an overall housing slump, Long Island South Fork ( from the Hampton's to Montauk) housing continues to thrive, providing construction and landscaping jobs throughout the region. Unfortunately, as a result, this also leads to an increase in  construction accidents, including falls off ladders, scaffolds and roofs, and into holes and ditches. 

Often times general contractors use off-the-books immigrant workers on both construction sites and on landscaping projects. These workers, often Latino, are rarely provided with the safety equipment they need, such as harnesses, safety goggles, ear protection and helmets. This leads to unnecessary construction accidents and more severe, permanent injuries. 

Any worker who has been injured at work, or on a South Fork, Long Island construction or landscaping site, should contact Attorney Chris Redmond, who also speaks Spanish, as soon as possible after the accident to learn his rights to file a New York workers compensation claim.  Even workers who are off-the-books or are in the US illegally can file a workers compensation claim, and doing so will not lead to deportation.  Call 631-399-0400 and ask to speak to Mr. Redmond's assistant, Carmen Rosado (x110) to schedule an appointment in our new Sag Harbor Office.

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Join us for Zadroga Claim Webinar on March 26

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/330686110

Did you (or a family member) participate in the rescue, recovery or cleanup activities at Ground Zero?  Are you now ill from breathing and ingesting toxic dust and fumes at the World Trade Center site? If so, you may be entitled to a financial award from the recently reopened federal Victim Compensation Fund in the Zadroga Act.

Join experienced New York 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) attorneys Troy G. Rosasco and Daniel J. Hansen for a free, fact filled webinar on March 26, 2011 at 12 noon EST discussing the new Zadroga Act. Subjects covered will include:

• Who is Eligibile under the Zadroga 9/11 Act for compensaton?
• What Illnesses are Covered by the Zadroga Act?
• How Do You File a Zadroga Victim Compensation Fund Claim?
• What is Needed to Prove Your "Damages", including "pain and suffering"?
• Who is the "Special Master"?
• How Much Money Can You Expect to Receive?
• Can You File a Zadroga Claim if You Already Collected Money from the Old VCF or other Lawsuits?
• How Long Will the Claims Process Take?
• How to Choose the Right Zadroga 9/11 VCF lawyer for you?

Join us for this lively, interactive Zadroga 9/11 Act Webinar (online seminar) to get the answers you (and your loved ones) need to protect yourself and get the financial compensation you deserve. You will be able to listen and interact either over your internet connection or by using a Toll Free telephone connection.

Title: 9/11 Zadroga Act Claims : What You Need to Know About the Victim Compensation Fund

Date: Saturday, March 26, 2011

Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

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I will be giving my annual New York Workers' Compensation Law lecture tomorrow night at St. John's Law School at the invitation of Prof. David Gregory, one of the country's preeminent labor law experts. 

This year my Workers' Compensation Law lecture takes on particular significance as the this week marks the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire tragedy in lower Manhattan, which was the seminal event leading to the establishment of workers' compensation laws throughout the country. 146 workers lost their lives either in the fire or jumping from the building.

As a former recipient of the Clara Lemlich Triangle Factory Fire Memorial Award, this important moment in labor history, along with the annual Triangle Dinner this Friday night at the Fire Museum of the City of New York, are close to my heart. I will certainly impress upon the law students the importance of understanding not only the "black letter" meaning of the New York workers' compensation law, but also its historical context.

In a eeirly sad coincidence, it just so happens that this year is also the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center Disaster.  It took 90 years for the WTC disaster to eclipse the Triangle Factory Fire as New York's most deadly workplace accident.

We are still filing ongoing workers' compensation claims for 9/11 victims, survivors and first responders. In addition, this year has brought the passage of the new James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010.   I will be sharing with the students facts about the new Zadroga 9/11 Act,  how to file a Zadroga Act claim, and what medical conditions are covered under the Zadroga Act.

Afterwards, the officers of the law school's Labor & Employment Law Society ussually join Prof. Gregory and I for a good Italian meal in Queens, maybe at Uvarara. Looking forward to that! I will post my materials on this blog after the lecture.

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The final deadline for Ground Zero 9/11 rescue, recovery and cleanup workers to register to file a New York Workers Compensation claim  in the future is September 11, 2010. 

The workers compensation lawyers at Turley, Redmond Rosasco and Rosasco are supporting our friends at the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) both financially and through the New York Disability Law Blog get out the word to the estimated 50,000 eligible 9/11 workers who have not yet registered.

This important protection will help them with medical insurance and lost wages if they later become sick as a result of exposure at Ground Zero. Click here to find the official WTC-12 Registration form which must be filed prior to September 11, 2010.  Please take a few minutes to complete this form to protect you and your family.

If you have any questions about registration or filing Ground Zero 9/11 New York workers compensation claims, do not hesitate to call us toll free at 1-877-NY-DBLAW.

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