Claims can be filed at www.claims.vcf.gov/account/loginor on a hard copy claim form. The form includes detailed instructions on how to complete it and where to send it once it is complete. Registration preserves the right to file your claim in the future, waives no legal rights, and does not obligate you to file a claim. You should also notify us once you have requested the letter from Goldman Sachs, so we know to expect it in support of your claim. If we need something further in order to determine your eligibility, you will receive a missing information letter. The WTC Health Programs general guidelines are summarized below. Dismiss, withdraw, and/or settle any 9/11-related lawsuits by the appropriate deadline. Prostate Cancer - National Oncology Program Office Therefore, you should still submit other evidence (such as contemporaneous documents, Witness Presence Statements, or affidavits) demonstrating that you were physically present in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. Note: The VCF has agreements with certain employers, unions, and other organizations to provide information about presence in support of VCF claims. You should submit documents reflecting your WCB number. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and documentation, the VCF will contact you. Please keep in mind, however, that VCF staff will not be reviewing these documents for sufficiency until your claim form and all required supporting documents are submitted. 114-113. College, school, or day care records and transcripts confirming enrollment or attendance during the relevant time period must be accompanied by one of the following two certifications: (1) Accuracy: A certification in the form of an accompanying letter, or a certification within the document (common on transcripts) from an employee of the college, school, or day care facility certifying the accuracy of the records; OR (2) True Copy: A certification in the form of an accompanying letter from from your legal counsel (if an attorney is assisting you with your claim) certifying that the document is a true and accurate copy of what they received directly from the school/daycare facility. You cannot certify records or transcripts yourself. Note: The FECA claim might not contain information to help verify your presence. Exhibit A Authorization for Release of Medical Records(, Original and signed Exhibit A Authorization for Release of Medical Records(. In the body of the email, please include your first name, last name (maiden name, if applicable), your date of birth, and the VCF official email address, VCF.Thirdpartyverification@usdoj.gov, which is where human resources can directly send their response. were created contemporaneously with your alleged exposures. Although the VCF encourages you to file your claim after you have been certified by the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program for a 9/11-related physical health condition and as soon as the full scope of your claimed losses are known so that your claim for compensation can be reviewed as quickly as possible, the last date on which anyone can file a claim is October 1, 2090. See VCFAct,Section 405(c)(3)(C)(i). The adult child can then authorize the VCF to share information about the claim with a parent by adding the parent as an Alternative Contact on the claim form. This portion of a VCF award is also referred to as the pain and suffering portion of the claim. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and documentation, the VCF will contact you. In cases meeting these criteria, where withdrawal or dismissal occurred after January 2, 2012, only newly covered conditions will be considered eligible for compensation. If you filed a FECA claim with the U.S. Department of Labor based on your 9/11-related work, the VCF may be able to obtain documentation directly from the U.S. Department of Labor to help verify your presence. If the requested documents are not submitted within 60 days of the date of the missing information letter, your claim may be denied, unless the only outstanding item is confirmation of a certified condition by the WTC Health Program. By statute, the VCF may not compensate for psychological conditions, but the WTC Health Program provides mental health treatment as part of their healthcare services. If you believe that you will suffer significant hardship in seeking certification by the WTC Health Program, you should upload a statement or letter to the claim explaining the circumstances and why you should be considered for the Private Physician process, The World Trade Center site, the Pentagon site, or the Shanksville, Pennsylvania, site. The VCF (which stands for "Victim Compensation Fund") provides financial compensation for those who were physically injured or died as a result of an eligible 9/11-related illness (these include cancer claims ). Any area related to, or along, routes of debris removal, such as barges and the Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island. 107-42, as amended by Public Law No. School or day care records and transcripts confirming your enrollment or attendance during the relevant time period. Prostate cancer is the most common type of non-skin cancer in the United States. Required documentation for withdrawn 9/11-related lawsuits: You must submit proof of timely withdrawal of your lawsuit with your claim. It is therefore very important that you claim all losses and submit the required supporting documentation when you file your claim. Minimum Award:$90K+ . Therefore, Claimants who allege presence based on work with the National Guard will still need to submit other evidence (such ascontemporaneous documents, Witness Presence Statements, or affidavits) demonstrating that they were physically present in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. If you are filing a claim on the victims behalf, you must submit the documents that are required for the VCF to validate your authority as an authorized representative. Over 300,000 office workers were exposed to toxic air on 9/11 and in the 8 months that followed. If we are unable to confirm presence by speaking with the employer or organization, then the VCF will contact you to explain what we need and to request additional documents that show where you were and when you were there. The Program also covers medically associated conditions, which are conditions that result from the treatment or progression of a certified condition. If your claim is denied for lack of proof of presence, it does not mean the VCF does not believe that you were present during the relevant timeframe. Responder dispatch records or union shop steward records showing dates and location(s) of your work. This means that you waive your right to be party to a future lawsuit even before the VCF determines whether or not you are entitled to compensation. Once the required documents are received and verified as sufficient, the claim will be reactivated for review, and if applicable, the VCF will request information from certain government entities, employers, and other third parties that may support presence for VCF purposes. This means that even if you have other certified or verified conditions, regardless of when they were certified or verified, they will not be eligible for compensation unless they were added to the list of qualified injuries after January 2, 2012, you settled and released your lawsuit prior to the date the specific condition was added to the list of qualified injuries, and you properly withdrew or dismissed any remaining lawsuits prior to filing your claim or amendment. A civil action to recover collateral source obligations. If you do not respond to our missing information request after 30 days, we will render a decision based on the information contained in your file at that time. In the body of the email, please include the following: your first name, last name, last four digits of your social security number, employee ID number, work location between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002, the VCF mailing address: September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, P.O. The WTC Health Program provides options for treatment of psychological conditions, including post-traumatic stress. You may submit either a court order establishing that the action has been discontinued and/or dismissed, dated on or before January 2, 2012, or a notice/letter of withdrawal filed on the Electronic Case Files (ECF) system in the relevant docket on or before January 2, 2012. In general, witnesses must show that they directly observed you at the eligible location, or must have been a supervisor or dispatcher who ordered you to that location and has knowledge that you in fact reported to the location. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, the VCF will contact you. If you are filing a claim on the victims behalf, you must show that you have the legal authority to do so. Pitta & Baione have earned over $200 million in 9/11 compensation claims for 9/11 related cancers and other conditions. Learn more. The VCF encourages you to register now. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, we will contact you. Thus, as a general matter, the VCF will rely on certification by the WTC Health Program that the individual is eligible for treatment for a particular physical injury or condition under the WTC Health Program. The VCF will deny your claim and will send you a letter with instructions on how to appeal. If you were a Red Cross volunteer in the NYC Exposure Zone during the period beginning September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002, the Red Cross may be able to provide documents and/or information directly to the VCF regarding your presence at the site. It is also helpful if you specify your job title within EMS during the period beginningon September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. $340,000 for a downtown office worker with skin cancer and larynx cancer $340,000 for a retired NYPD officer with cancers of the colon and mouth Failure to provide detailed information relating to presence will result in the VCF sending you a Missing Information letter, which may result in your claim being denied if we are unable to get the additional detailed information needed to verify your presence. Skin Cancer in 9/11 Responders and Survivors The VCF understands that it is becoming increasingly difficult for some claimants to find documentation supporting their presence at an eligible location after so many years have passed. The WTC Health Program has set specific minimum and maximum timeframes between an individuals 9/11 exposure and the onset of symptoms related to an eligible physical injury or condition. But if the new condition is a cancer and the award was only based on a non-cancer, you might consider amending your claim. Part 104. Certain CWA members completed a CWA WTC Recovery/Cleanup Effort Exposure Information form, which was distributed by some CWA local unions and then provided to the CWA District 1 office upon completion. The Registration Deadline isnotthe same for everyone. The VCF recognizes various medications for the treatment of conditions related to prostate cancer as presumptively compensable this means that it's not necessary to provide further documentation of necessity to the VCF. Note: the Witness Presence Statement is a template and use of it does not mean it will be determined to be sufficient by the VCF. Rule for Newly Covered Conditions and Lawsuits Filed Before November 16, 2016:[3] If the condition for which you are seeking compensation from the VCF was added to the list of qualified injuries after January 2, 2012, you must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for compensation from the VCF: In cases meeting these criteria, where settlement occurred after January 2, 2011, only newly covered conditions will be considered eligible for compensation. Regulations governing the VCFs review of claims are published at 28 C.F.R. The maximum non-economic loss for any one type of cancer condition is $250,000, and the maximum non-economic loss for any one type of non- cancer condition is $90,000. We encourage you to visit the WTC Health Program website to understand the complete details for each specific injury and condition and the process used to evaluate each individuals unique circumstances. The VCF Permanent Authorization Actfully funded the VCF and extended the VCFs Claim Filing Deadline until October 1, 2090. When you submit your complete claim form and we begin reviewing your claim, we will review each presence document. Note: The VCF is not able to pay any physician for providing this information or documentation. Each document submitted must clearly pertain to the named victim and identify the date(s) and location(s) of the victims WTC-related service. If the VCF needs additional information from you after reviewing your claim form and the letter, the VCF will contact you. In order to process a claim filed by someone other than the victim, the Special Master must first validate the individuals authority to represent the victim for the VCF claim. You must register for each of these programs separately. Ground Zero and Prostate Cancer | Prostate Cancer Foundation The VCF encourages everyone who was at an eligible location to gather documents now even if they are unsure about filing a claim in the future. The VCF Permanent Authorization Act extends the VCFs claim filing deadline from December 18, 2020, to October 1, 2090, and appropriates such funds as may be necessary to pay all approved claims. If you are enrolled and if the WTC Health Program confirms that it has certified your condition for treatment, then it will be able to provide the VCF with information about your certified condition(s). World Trade Center Dust Link to 9/11 Prostate Cancer Cases At least two documents, whether from the list below or otherwise, are required. This is true regardless of the date on which the earlier condition is certified or verified. The prostate gland is found below the bladder. You should contact human resources by email at PayrollTimekeeping@buildings.nyc.gov and request that they directly send the VCF a WTC verification letter. The statute requires that, to be eligible, you must have at least one WTC-Related Physical Health Condition. You should contact human resources by email at hr-verify@verizon.com and request that they directly send the VCF an employer verification letter. Hansen & Rosasco 9/11 lawyers represented and won $3.2 million for "loss of earnings" and "pain and suffering" VCF awards for a NYC police officer who became completely disabled by 9/11 . The Special Master recognizes, however, that such documents may no longer exist or may be impossible to obtain. The Registration Deadline is determined according to claim type, and varies based on individual circumstances. The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund ("VCF") was created on September 22, 2001, by Public Law No. You do not need to be sick or to have been diagnosed or certified with a 9/11-related condition in order to register. Claims with Co-Personal Representatives: If the court has appointed multiple individuals as co-Personal Representatives for the victims estate, the co-Personal Representatives must designate among themselves who will serve as the Lead Personal Representative (Lead PR). Lawsuits filed after November 2016 are prohibited by the general statutory requirement that a claimant cannot have an active 9/11related lawsuit at the same time as a VCF claim, and filing a lawsuit after November 2016 waives your right to file a claim with the VCF. If you submit Letters of Administration, Letters Testamentary, or other Court Order that includes limitations that interfere with the VCFs ability to process or pay your claim, you will be advised in writing and given time to obtain the appropriate documentation. How Much VCF Compensation Can I Recover? - Weisfuse & Weisfuse, LLP If you were represented by Sullivan Papain Block McGrath and Cannavo (Sullivan Papain) in both your lawsuit and your VCF claim, the VCF may be able to get the necessary information from Sullivan Papain. The adult child may also grant the parent online access to the claim in the VCF claims system. Dismissal/withdrawal before submitting the VCF claim or amendment (notice of withdrawal will suffice). The person you ask to be a witness must have personal knowledge of your presence at a 9/11 crash site or along the routes of debris removal. Please note that the WTC Health Program and the VCF are different programs. Once you receive the letter, you should upload it to your claim or mail it to the VCF. In order to be eligible for compensation under the VCF, an individual must have been present at a 9/11 crash site or in locations of debris removal at any point during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Witness Presence Statement. Lawsuits filed after November 2016are prohibited by the general statutory requirement that a claimant cannot have an active 9/11related lawsuit at the same time as a VCF claim. The WTC Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment for physical injuries and conditions resulting from 9/11 exposure. These documents are extremely helpful to establish presence. Per VCF policy, if registration is timely for any condition or injury, all eligible conditions no matter when determined to be 9/11-related (and regardless of whether there had been a prior timely registration) may be considered for an award, subject to the other requirements of the VCF claims process. If you have your WTC Notice of Participation which was filed with the NYCERS Pension Fund to preserve your right to file for a WTC disability retirement or reclassification in the future, you should submit it with your claim as it may support presence for purposes of your VCF claim. Contacting the FDNY directly will not expedite the processing of your claim and, in fact, may delay claims processing by tying up limited resources at the FDNY. Respiratory cancers eligible for a VCF award include: Bronchial and lung Heart, pleura, and mediastinum Other undefined respiratory sites in the intrathoracic organs and respiratory system 9/11-related skin cancer includes those diagnosed as either melanoma or non-melanoma. This means that even if you have other certified or verified conditions, regardless of when they were certified or verified, they will not be eligible for compensation unless they were added to the list of qualified injuries after January 2, 2012, and you withdrew or dismissed your lawsuit prior to filing your claim or amendment. Once we confirm we have a complete Signature Page and Exhibit A, we contact the WTC Health Program for information about your certified condition(s). If you did not experience any physical injury or condition as a result of September 11th, but you experienced emotional or mental harm, you are not eligible for compensation from the VCF. The VCF will contact you if any additional information is needed. Prostate cancer Since the small prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system, only men can get prostate cancer. The VCF works with the National Guard to directly obtain information for individuals who assert that they participated in the World Trade Center response while on State Active Duty. Please note that this option is generally available only when legal or geographical obstacles mean that the representative is unable to open an estate to obtain an appointment. Examples of contemporaneous documents that may be helpful in proving presence are listed below. A civil action against any person who is a "knowing participant in any conspiracy to hijack any aircraft or commit any terrorist act." Victim Compensation Fund payouts are available for prostate cancer 9/11 claims. If you do not have a form on file at your local union, please leave a message for Micki Siegel de Hernandez, CWAs National Deputy Director of Occupational Safety and Health at 202-434-1100 to see if your form is on file at the District 1 office. The VCF has instructions for uploading documents to the online system. Note that these records provided to the VCF do not include all NYCTA employees who were involved in the emergency response effort. The VCF will contact the WTC Health Program directly to confirm you have an eligible certified condition. You must first attempt to obtain an appointment from the state probate or surrogate court where the victim lived. You do not need to submit any proof of presence with your claim. For more information, please see the information on. The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, Registration and Other Deadlines Frequently Asked Questions, https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/pdfs/policies/WTCHP-Minimum-Cancer-Latency-PP-01062015-508.pdf, https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/pdfs/policies/WTCHP_PP_Time_Intervals_New_Onset_AeroDig_Disorders_30_August_2017-508.pdf, Instructions for Letters of Administration with Limitations, VCF Lead Personal Representative Designation Form, Civil Division Freedom of Information Act, Register with the VCF by thedeadline applicable to your individual circumstances, see. The VCF will accept claims with settled 9/11-related lawsuits if you meet the following conditions: You may have settled all your claims and, in that case, as long as the lawsuit was commenced after December 22, 2003, and the release was tendered by January 2, 2011, you can submit a claim to the VCF. Over 70 cancers including Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer and many others plus breathing and digestive conditions. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Once you submit your claim, it proceeds through an Automated Document Check process as a first step before it moves to Preliminary Review. In the body of the email please include your first name, last name, last four digits of your social security number or your standard ID number, and the VCF official email address, VCF.Thirdpartyverification@usdoj.gov, where the employee verification team can directly send their response including the work history location letter. Additional information about the VCF appeals and hearings process can be found in Section 4. If you would like the VCF to contact the U.S. Department of Labor, you must contact the VCF Helpline to request a FECA Authorization Form, and then submit the completed form to the VCF. The VCF will also seek information from the WTC Health Program for deceased individuals whose condition(s) was certified by the WTC Health Program prior to death, upon submission of an Exhibit A(for Deceased Individuals) by the victims authorized Personal Representative. If the WTC Health Program has certified your condition, you do not need to submit medical records to support a claim for non-economic loss at the lowest end of the range for your eligible condition. To register with the VCF you must do one of the following: In general, claimants are considered to have registered on time if their registration is submitted within two years of the date on which the claimant knew or reasonably should have known: (1) that the victim suffered a physical harm as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, or debris removal in the immediate aftermath, and (2) that the claimant was eligible to file a claim with the VCF. What are the VCF payouts and how likely you will get one? Undefined malignant neoplasms also qualify. The VCF may be able to obtain records confirming presence from the New York State Workers Compensation Board for individuals who have made a Workers Compensation claim based on their 9/11-related work. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. You suffered a new physical injury or condition that you had not suffered at the time of the VCF1 claim filing or that was not compensable at the time of VCF1. The VCFAct provides that the award from settlements in civil suits regarding injuries related to 9/11 will be counted as a collateral source offset. Your acceptance of settlement and release of claims must have been tendered on or before the date on which the condition for which you are seeking compensation was added to the list of qualified injuries by the World Trade Center Health Program. Highlights. The Molecular Cancer Research Journal published research that observed 15 men who were first-responders on September 11, 2001 at Ground Zero and later developed 9/11 prostate cancer and compared those men to 15 men with prostate cancer who were not exposed to the 9/11 related toxins. [2] The VCF clarified the rule regarding lawsuit settlements and newly covered conditions in November 2016. If you want to provide additional details about your presence that are not already provided as part of your claim form responses, or to supplement or provide context for whichever of the documents listed below that you are submitting in support of your claim, you may complete and submit the VCF Victim Presence Statement. Covered Conditions - WTC Health Program . To be eligible for the VCF, you must have been at one of the following locations: To be eligible, individuals must have been present at one of the eligible locations at the time or in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th aircraft crashes. If an attorney signed and submitted the release on behalf of the individual or the individual's dependent, spouse, or beneficiary, a copy of the retainer agreement with the attorney in the settled lawsuit must be submitted as proof that the attorney was authorized to sign the release. Please be sure to select the correct document type when uploading documents to claims in the online system. You may be eligible for additional compensation if: Note: There are two objectives when evaluating whether a claimant who already received an award in VCF1 should be awarded additional compensation in VCF2 for exacerbated or new injuries: (1) avoiding the reassessment or recalculation of any component of the VCF1 award or changing any assumption applied in making that calculation, and (2) avoiding duplication of any component of the award that was already made in VCF1. As a result, the VCF is not able to accept claims solely for psychological conditions. (LockA locked padlock) While the National Guard may be able to confirm whether an individual was on Active Duty, it does not have records that would confirm the actual location of the work. You may register online at www.claims.vcf.gov or over the phone by calling the VCF Helpline at 1-855-885-1555. Learn more here: JAMA Patient Page: Screening for Prostate Cancer. For a listing of the types of documents that can assist the VCF in the evaluation of your claim, see Section 2.1.c Documentation of non-economic loss.