Hearing to Focus on Health Compensation for World Trade Center Sick

Shannon Weidemann

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A Congressional hearing has been held to determine if victims of World Trade Center Illness should be compensated.  Most of the focus has been on health care for victims.  This hearing will center on economic losses.  The hearing will be chaired by Congressman Jerrold Nadler and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren.

In particular, this hearing will examine different compensation approaches used thus far to address 9/11-related economic losses, such as the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) and the World Trade Center Captive Insurance Company. The hearing will also examine specific problems arising for first responders, workers, local residents, students and other individuals whose illnesses did not become apparent for months or years after September 11, as well as individuals who may become sick in the future. Finally, the hearing will consider possible solutions to provide the necessary relief to affected individuals who have and will continue to experience losses, but have thus far seen little or no compensation.

Thousands of people were injured after being exposed to toxic and harmful substances from the World Trade Center buildings collapsing.  The most common illnesses have to do with breathing issues and rare cancers.