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Rupa Bhattacharyya Appointed 9/11 VCF Special Master

July 24, 2016
HomeBlogRupa Bhattacharyya Appointed 9/11 VCF Special Master

After the recent departure of former Special Master Sheila Birnbaum, Attorney General Loretta Lynch has appointed Rupa Bhattacharyya as the new Special Master of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.

Special Master Bhattacharyya currently serves as Director of the Justice Department’s Constitutional and Specialized Tort Litigation Section in the Civil Division’s Torts Branch. As Director, Rupa Bhattacharyya oversees aspects of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which has paid in excess of $3.4 billion to more than 4,700 people since 1988; the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act program, which has awarded more than $2 billion in compensation since 1990; and the Constitutional Torts staff, which defends constitutional tort claims brought against federal officials sued in their individual capacities.

According to the Department of Justice “Rupa Bhattacharrya has also served informally as an advisor to the Civil Division on matters related to the 9/11 VCF, including implementation of the reauthorizing legislation and promulgation of the associated regulations. She additionally serves as an advisor to other government components on compensation and representation programs, including the newly created U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, administered by the Department’s Criminal Division.”

Attorney General Loretta Lynch commented “Rupa Bhattacharyya is an exceptional administrator and a devoted public servant, and I am delighted to name her as the new Special Master of the VCF. Throughout her career at the Treasury and Justice Departments, she has earned a reputation for fairness, efficiency and integrity.  I am confident that under her leadership, the VCF will continue to guarantee that those whose lives were forever changed by the events of September 11th, 2001, can receive the compensation they deserve.  I thank outgoing Special Master Sheila Birnbaum for her outstanding leadership of the VCF over the last five years and I welcome Ms. Bhattacharyya to her new post.”

Rupa Bhattacharrya commented “I am honored to be selected by the Attorney General for this important service. I look forward to working alongside the dedicated VCF staff to ensure that 9/11 claimants promptly receive the payments to which they are entitled.”

For more information, contact Pitta & Baione LLP at info@pittabaione.com or 844-982-2667.