It might sound surprising, but a majority of the population still don’t know what the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is, and some may have never heard about it until now. To make life easier for you, we’ve put this article together to answer all the questions that are possible in your mind right now regarding this fund. We’ll begin with the basics and then go into whether you may be eligible for compensation, let’s get right to it.
What is it?
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is a fund that started as a means of helping and providing compensation for individuals who suffered physical injury and other such losses during the 9/11 tragedy. It came into effect soon after the terrorist attack and has since been in place as a means of aiding those who were affected by the incident, and also those who are representatives of individuals who passed away as a result of the attack and its aftermath. Along with this, the fund also covers those who either lived, worked, and attended school in the area during and soon after the 9/11 incident took place.
What Does it Cover?
The 9/11 fund mainly covers the following areas for those who were affected by the incident:
- Financial compensation for the losses you and your family have suffered, including the loss of a family member.
- Free healthcare benefits for the rest of your life.
- Additional medical benefits for treatment.
Who’s Eligible for the Compensation?
Now that we know how the fund came into being and what exactly it covers, who are the people who are eligible to claim this fund? Simply put, anyone who was in the “exposure zone” during the 9/11 incident and the months that followed, and also the people who were physically injured and suffered other traumatic incidents as a result of this are all eligible to get help using this fund. So, what is the “exposure zone”? The exposure zone refers to anyone who was living or present in Lower Manhattan during and soon after the attack. This refers to people who were directly affected, the first responders, and also the people who lived in the area – even if they just worked and studied there during that time.
This is because anyone who was in the area at the time was automatically victim of the dust, debris, and toxic fumes that were a result of the attack. So, to make things more clear, even if you weren’t a direct victim or a first responder, you’re still eligible if you happened to be in the area in the ensuing months. Additionally, you are still eligible for the fund even if you happened to relocate and live elsewhere soon after the terrible incident. Many people who moved away from the exposure zone after the incident are still able to make use of the fund and its benefits though they currently live elsewhere in the United States.
How to Prove You Were There?
In order to prove that you were in the exposure zone during or after the incident, you will need to show a record or evidence of some sort to be eligible for the claim. To do this, you may also hire an attorney to represent you and make sure the required documents are in place to make the process easier and smoother. Though this may seem like a tedious process, once your approval comes through, you’ll be able to use the fund for your future medical benefits and free healthcare.