Legal News
9/11 Rescue Workers Make Personal Injury Plea (12 September 2011)
Date: 12/09/2011
Politicians, members of the emergency services, and police chiefs have called for an end to what they describe as "inhumane" rules under which 9/11 rescue workers are unable to receive financial aid to help meet the cost of their medical bills. Over the past decade, the majority of the millions of dollars dedicated to helping treat the sick Ground Zero rescue workers has focused on those with respiratory problems and mental health issues.
Rescue workers who have developed cancer have been excluded from the federal health funding policy; officials claim that there is insufficient evidence to prove that there was a direct link between the toxins at the site and the development of cancer. The results of the first large-scale study into the health of the 9/11 rescue workers, published in the Lancet, revealed that members of the emergency services who contributed to relief efforts both on the day of the attacks and subsequent weeks had a 19 per cent higher risk of developing cancer. The study involved 9,800 firemen and compared those present at the site both during and after the attacks with those not involved.
70,000 people were involved in the Ground Zero operation, including members of the emergency services, police, and construction workers. The environmental dangers at the site included but were not limited to 90,000 litres of jet fuel, 1,000 tonnes of asbestos, and a range of highly toxic chemicals.
Duncan Lewis’ team of personal injury solicitors represent clients who wish to receive compensation for general and special damages. The department is able to settle the majority of claims without instigating court proceedings.