Zadroga Bill Last Hope for Many 9/11 Ground Zero First Responders

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Troy Rosasco

 

Many say passage of the Detective James Zadroga Bill in the US Senate is all up to Chuck Schumer now.  Not so. 

It's really up to one brave Republican Senator willing to put partisan politics aside and do the right thing by these "injured war veterans".  They may not have served in Afghanistan or Iraq, but they were attacked all the same.

Many first responders unfairly closed out of the most recent mega 9/11 settlement may only have the Zadroga Bill to fall back on - and they are just as sick as the ones now being compensated in the lawsuits approved by Judge Alvin Hellerstein, according to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.

Which Republican Senator would vote to deny Iraq and Afghanistan war vets their right to medical care and compensation? Not one.

But because this issue has been portrayed as simply a local New York matter by some Republicans or another debt inflating conundrum by others, the Mitch McConnell crew in the Senate have not broken ranks - yet.

So which Republican Senator will be a Statesman rather than a politician? Whoever it is, I'll get out my chisel now and climb Mt. Rushmore, but I'm not holding my breath. 

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Remember Your Local Veteran Today

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Troy Rosasco

I will be watching my son march with his Boy Scout Troop today in our local Veteran's Day parade.  Unfortunately, despite our fighting two wars, this parade continues to be sparsely attended as most Americans seem more eager to use a day off to scour shopping malls for Christmas bargains.  As a vet myself, this is deeply disappointing.

Whiles the local mall parking lots are filled with their Escalades and Lexus', a few or us will be remembering the sacrifice our veterans have made to preserve the freedom that allows such shopping excursions.  A few statistics:

  • There are currently approximately 23 million vets in the US ( 8% female )
  • There are approximately 2 million World War II vets still alive ( 850 pass away each day)
  • There are over 3 million vets receiving VA disability compensation
  • There are nearly 400,000 vets receiving disability benefits for PTSD 
  • See here for current  New York VA disability statistics

Attend a parade today if you can, say a prayer for our men and women overseas, or simply be grateful that there is not a draft and your son or daughter isn't in harms way.

 

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Judge Issues Gag Order and Delays 9/11 Lawsuit Settlement Announcement until Thursday

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Troy Rosasco

Do the lead attorneys have 95% of their first responder clients agreeing to the multi-million 9/11 settlement?

No one knows because federal District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein has issued a "gag order" to prevent the parties from discussing the 9/11 settlement in public and has now given the plaintiff's attorneys until this Thursday to "finish processing the paperwork".     Stay tuned... 

PS: It's clear now one of the two lead law firms did not reach 95% (you can bet Sullivan Papain hit their 95% mark). Judge Hellerstein has extended the deadline another week, not just for counting the ballots, but also for new opt-ins. The wait continues leaving the vast majority of sick 9/11 responders and their families teetering on edge. Is this fair? 

 

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A Bird in the Hand: Will 95% of 9/11 Lawsuit First Responders Accept Settlement Today?

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Troy Rosasco

That's the big question in all the New York newspapers today ( see New York Daily News, NY Times, NY Post and New York Law Journal ).  One eligible firefighter stated on radio today that this decision was tougher than his decision to go into the burning World Trade Center on 9/11  - and I believe that is the case for many of the close to 10,000 plaintiffs in this case.  That firefighter has decided to take the settlement, although he is unsure of what his eventual recovery will be. Another cancer victim has decided not to accept the settlement.

In addition, I have received over 10 telephone calls already this morning from potentially eligible plaintiffs who still did not know about the lawsuit and settlement.  That's a shame since it is estimated that close to 40,000 workers and volunteers participated in the cleanup at Ground Zero, yet only 10,000 are involved in the present lawsuit.  The current lead plaintiff attorneys are no longer taking new cases (they have their hands full), and potential future plaintiffs may find it difficult to find any attorney at this point.

Finally, what happens to the workers who are not yet sick, participated in the cleanup, but get sick in the future with cancer or lung problems?  Perhaps their only recourse will be to hope that the Zadroga bill to re-open the 9/11 Victims' Compensation Fund is is signed into law.  Zadroga was recently passed by the House of Representatives, but is facing an uncertain future in the lame duck Senate. 

As I have stated in prior posts, I believe the current settlement is the "best possible" for now, and I urge the plaintiffs to approve it.  I understand that it is a tough choice and not the perfect solution.  However, the alternative is an uncertain future and perhaps getting nothing in the end given some valid legal defenses to these claims. That would be flushing $712.5 million down the drain.  Is the bird in the hand better than two in the bush...?

  

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