9/11 Benefits for Residents 

As the center of the business and financial world, it is often easy to forget that Lower Manhattan is also a residential neighborhood, with more than 30,000 residents calling the area home in 2000. Those residents were significantly affected by the events of the day and can work with a 9/11 attorney to secure benefits for the health conditions they have suffered as a result of the continued exposure to toxic dust that blanketed the area for months after the attacks. As a result, lower Manhattan residents who developed 9/11-related health conditions are eligible to receive benefits from the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). 

Residents of the NYC Exposure Zone May Qualify for Benefits 

Lower Manhattan residents who lived within the NYC exposure zone (generally the area of Lower Manhattan below Canal Street) between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002, and who suffer a 9/11-related health condition may qualify for benefits. There is no minimum amount of time residents had to be present within the exposure zone to qualify. For example, a resident who moved out of the exposure zone one month after the attacks would still be eligible based on having lived in the exposure zone for any amount of time. 

Common 9/11-Related Health Conditions Among Lower Manhattan Residents

Our 9/11 attorney knows that continuous exposure to 9/11 toxins, like that of the exposure zone residents, has resulted in significant respiratory problems for many. According to a study by the World Trade Center Health Registry, the following 9/11-related conditions are most common among residents of the exposure zone: 

• Upper respiratory symptoms (URS)
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Asthma/reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)
• Chronic cough 
• COPD 

Proving Your Presence in the NYC Exposure Zone 

It’s not always easy to prove that you were in a specific location at any given time, especially after 20 years of time has passed. However, the VCF accepts several types of evidence to confirm your presence within the exposure zone during the relevant time frame, including: 

• Government documents showing your address within the exposure zone (e.g., W-2 forms, applications for public housing, copies of benefits payment stubs, etc.) 
• Rental agreements
• Proof of rent payment
• Mortgage receipts
• Utility bills
• Witness presence statements or affidavits 

When submitting evidence confirming your residence, it is best to submit as many different types of documents as you can. When you work with a 9/11 attorney at Pitta & Baione we can help you with this important step.

Contact a 9/11 Attorney for More Information About VCF Benefits for Lower Manhattan Residents

If you lived in Lower Manhattan during and after the 9/11 attacks and suffer a 9/11-related condition, you may qualify for VCF benefits. For more information about your eligibility, please contact a 9/11 attorney at Pitta & Baione by using our online contact form or calling us at 844-982-2667.

Pitta & Baione LLP Successful Claims

BREAST CANCER

^$3+ Million

Secured an expedited award for a former Lower Manhattan corporate executive who developed 9/11 breast cancer.

BRAIN CANCER

^$1.95+ Million

Favorable result secured for an NYPD detective who responded to the attacks and later suffered from 9/11 brain cancer.

LUNG CANCER

^$1.76+ Million

Secured a wrongful death claim on behalf of a union carpenter who worked on the 9/11 cleanup efforts at Ground Zero and was later diagnosed with 9/11 lung cancer.

THYROID CANCER

^$1.65+ Million

Secured a favorable result for an area worker in Lower Manhattan who later developed 9/11 thyroid cancer.

BRAIN CANCER

^$1.7+ Million

Secured an expedited award for New York State Supreme Court employee who was disabled by 9/11 brain cancer.

LEUKEMIA

^$1.3+ Million

Secured a wrongful death award on behalf of a Lower Manhattan corporate executive who was diagnosed with 9/11 leukemia.

LUNG CANCER

^$1.1+ Million

Secured an expedited award for a union carpenter who worked in Lower Manhattan after 9/11 and was later found disabled by 9/11 lung cancer.

LUNG DISEASE

^$1.1+ Million

Secured an expedited award for a Local 94 operating engineer who worked in Lower Manhattan after 9/11 and was later found disabled by 9/11 lung disease.

NASAL CAVITY CANCER

^$1+ Million

Secured an xpedited award for a DSNY sanitation worker who assisted in the 9/11 cleanup efforts at Ground Zero and was later diagnosed with 9/11 nasal cavity cancer.

BRAIN CANCER

^$1+ Million

Secured an expedited award for a New York City Department of Corrections corrections officer who served as a volunteer responder on 9/11 and later developed a disabling and rare 9/11 brain cancer.

LUNG CANCER

^$960+ Thousand

Secured a favorable result for a wrongful death claim on behalf of a TWU Local 100 MTA worker who participated in the 9/11 recovery efforts and later developed 9/11 lung cancer.

COLON CANCER

^$770+ Thousand

Successfully represented an union carpenter who built temporary structures at Ground Zero as a 9/11 responder and later developed disabling 9/11 colon cancer.

View More Successful Claims