Leading 9/11 Attorneys at Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson Praise September 11th Victim Compensation Fund for Meeting Payment and Rules Deadline
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 24, 2016 -- As the law firm representing the family of Detective James Zadroga and thousands of other sick first responders and local WTC residents and workers, Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson remains at the forefront of those advocating for post-9/11 victims. Following last year’s reauthorization of the Zadroga Act, the firm is pleased that another milestone has been reached in ensuring compensation for those who need and deserve it.
On June 15, 2016, Sheila Birnbaum, Special Master for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, announced that the VCF has met an important statutory deadline in updating its regulations and issuing an Interim Final Rule for implementing the changes required by law. The fund, which has met its deadline for making full payments to “Group A” claimants, can now begin to evaluate and then pay the ”Group B” claimants. (Claimants are grouped by the date that the VCF notified them of their loss calculation. Those who received notification by December 17, 2015, the date that Congress passed the Zadroga Reauthorization, belong in Group A; those who didn’t get an award prior to the Reauthorization are in Group B.) Closing Group A claims is a necessary precursor to processing Group B claims so that those payments can begin by mid-August.
Michael Barasch, Managing Attorney of Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson, applauds the work done by the Victim Compensation Fund in meeting its obligations. “When Congress extended and reauthorized the VCF last year, it mandated that all Group A claimants get paid by the end of June. I am delighted to see that they complied with their mandate,” said Barasch. “Now the hard work begins on making sure that the Group B claimants receive the same justice.” Publishing the Interim Final Rule allows the VCF to begin issuing Group B compensation decisions as soon as Group B funding becomes available. Once the interim rule becomes final, total funding will be in place until December 18, 2020 to fully compensate those who suffered physical harm or death as a result of the 9/11 attacks. Eligible claimants include first responders involved in the search and rescue operations and then the debris-removal efforts at Ground Zero and the Fresh Kills Landfill. Others eligible include residents and office workers who were in Southern Manhattan, below Canal Street, between 9/11/01 and May 30, 2002. NIOSH has linked 68 cancers to the WTC toxic dust.
About Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson
Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson is a prominent New York City-based law firm who represents the victims and families of the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11, injured firefighters, and other injury victims. The firm’s primary areas of practice include:
- Post-9/11 health and compensation
- Firefighter law
- Personal injury
The lawyers at Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson have more than 100 years of combined experience. For more information, please visit the firm’s website or call 888.746.8212.
Brian Harvey, Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson, http://www.post911attorneys.com, +1 888.351.9421, [email protected]
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