Judge Calls New Proposed 9/11 Settlement for First Responders and Rescue Workers a "Very Good Deal"

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Troy Rosasco

Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein called the new $625 to $712 million proposed 9/11 settlement for sick first responders and rescue workers a "very good deal" today.  Lawyer fees have now been reduced from 33% to 25%, while the actual settlement has been increased significantly. This will put more money in the hands of seriously sick first responders and their loved ones.

Judge Hellerstein has set a hearing for later this month so that all interested parties can comment on the newly proposed settlement.  After the initial settlement proposal was publicized this past March, both the Judge and certain rescue worker groups claimed the the settlement was not enough and that lawyer fees were too high. It remains to be seen what groups representing injured workers feel about the new settlement proposal, but no one can argue that seriously ill workers will do better under the current proposal.  

If you are a rescue worker or first responder who is currently or potentially sick due to your exposure at Ground Zero, this may be your last opportunity to join the lawsuit.  Feel free to call  Turley, Redmond, Rosasco & Rosasco  Toll Free with any questions at 1-877-693-2529, extension 123.

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$657 Million 9/11 Settlement Agreement Documents Online: Time to Act?

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Troy Rosasco

While I am sure that most of the general public has heard about last week's potential $657 million settlement for 9/11 First Responders ( including volunteers), do you want to read the entire 95 page  World Trade Center Settlement Process Agreement ? In addition to the agreement, there are attached to the agreement multiple Exhibits A  through U  (click here and here for examples)which put the total page count in the multiple hundreds of pages. 

Thankfully, the over 10,000 first responders have been given 90 days dissect this important document before the must vote to approve or disapprove the proposed settlement.  Awards to individuals or families could range anywhere from a high of over one million dollars to a low of $3,200.00, with an expected average award according to news reports to be in the $50,000 - $60,000 range.  Finally, U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein must also approve of both the settlement agreement and the amount of attorneys fees. 

As most of my readers know, I have been covering 9/11 workers' compensation and litigation  developments on this blog for over five years now.  After the announcement of the proposed settlement last Thursday night, my office has received another rush of calls. Many want to know if it is too late to join this lawsuit now as plaintiffs.

The answer is "No", it's not too late.  However, time is short for attorneys to review new client medical records for eligibility and make the appropriate claim,if any.  If you have yet to sign up for this litigation and you were a first responder or volunteer who worked at Ground Zero, now may be your last chance to join this potential settlement.  Remember - this lawsuit is separate and apart from any New York Workers Compensation claim you may have in the past, currently or in the future.

Since last Thursday, I have taken numerous phone calls from first responders and/or volunteers with serious lung conditions or cancers who never knew about the existence of this lawsuit. I encourage all  first responders or volunteers who have been diagnosed with a condition potentially related to their exposure to dust and toxins at Ground Zero, and have not already signed on to this lawsuit (you probably would have signed a formal 1/3 retainer agreement), to contact an attorney today.

Readers of this blog can always call me toll free at 1-877-NY-DBLAW (1-877-693-2529) , extension 123 with any questions. Let's hope that this proposed settlement brings some closure for sick first responders and their loved ones. They deserve it.

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