Press Release 9-11 Victim Compensation Fund

Press Release - 9-11 Victim Compensation Fund

October 04, 2011 NEW YORK - We are pleased to inform you that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund ("VCF") officially reopened yesterday for claimants to register online and the Fund will begin accepting claims electronically through its website next month.  As your legal representative for your VCF claim, Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern, LLP ("Napoli Bern") will take the first step in submitting your claim by registering you online with the Fund at http://www.vcf.gov.  You do not have to register yourself.

The VCF is also currently establishing an online, streamlined claims process that will begin accepting claims in November 2011.  As stated yesterday by Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum, claimants "are not required to submit a claim today, on Day 1" of the VCF reopening.  If you currently suffer from a covered condition under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act of 2010, you have until October 03, 2013 to file a claim, and others will have two (2) years from the date on which they know or should have known of the condition for which a claim is filed.

It was also reported yesterday that the VCF expects to publish an Eligibility Form by the end of October.  Approximately a month thereafter (near the end of November), the VCF expects to publish a Compensation Form.   Eventually you will need to complete both of these forms in order to officially file your VCF claim.  These forms have not been published yet.  We will let you know when these forms become available.

Once the claims system is finalized later this fall, the VCF will provide additional guidance & instructions on how we can submit a claim on your behalf.  In the meantime you should start collecting the documents and information that will be needed in order to process your claim.  Please refer to the VCF Document Check Lists that have been posted to our website at http://zadroga-act.com/.

We already have a majority of the items requested for your claim, such as documentation verifying your presence at the World Trade Center site.  There is no need to call us if you have previously submitted this information.  However, you should still review the VCF Document Check Lists for any items that you may not have already provided to us and we will call you if we need any additional information

Thank you for allowing Napoli Bern to represent you in this matter. We will continue to apply our best efforts on your behalf and report to you as your claim continues and/or as more information becomes available.
For additional information, please call 1.877.WTC.HERO (1.877.982.4376) or visit our website at http://zadroga-act.com/.