First responders on 9/11 — police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and other good Samaritans who rushed to the scene to help — bore the brunt of the exposure to the toxic dust and gasses that were released from Ground Zero.
It’s no wonder, then, that they have suffered the primary effects of 9/11-related illnesses that have developed in the years since, quite rightly making them eligible to receive medical care through the WTC Health Program and benefits from the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF).
Below, we will discuss the eligibility of Manhattan residents for both the WTC Health Program and VCF benefits, as well as some of the 9/11-related conditions they face. For more information about resident eligibility for these programs, please contact a 911 fund lawyer.
According to a 2019 study, resident exposure to 9/11-toxins has resulted in significant respiratory health problems for the affected individuals. In total, the study examined 6,447 residents of Lower Manhattan who were enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry and who had reported “some” or “intense” dust cloud exposure on 9/11. Generally, the study found that the greater the degree of exposure, the worse the respiratory outcomes were.
Among individuals studied:
- 60.8% reported upper respiratory symptoms (URS)
- 16.1% reported shortness of breath
- 10.7% reported wheezing
- 7.9% reported asthma/reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)
- 6.8% reported chronic cough
- 5.4% reported COPD
The results of this study underscore the need for residents as well as first responders to have access to the benefits of the VCF and the WTC Health Program.
Contact a 911 Fund Lawyer for More Specific Eligibility Questions
If you lived in Lower Manhattan on or shortly after 9/11, you may be enticed to receive benefits from the VCF and the WTC Health Program. For more information about resident eligibility for either of these programs, please contact a 911 fund lawyer at Pitta & Baione by using our online contact form or by calling us at 844-982-2667.