What is the Zadroga Act?
Also referred to as the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, the Zadroga Act provides health monitoring and financial aid to 9/11 first responders. the act covers medical and other expenses for a specific list of diseases and health conditions including over 50 types of cancers, interstitial lung diseases, asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Legislation was signed on August 14, 2006 by New York Governor George Pataki to benefit Ground Zero workers whose deaths are presumed caused by recovery efforts.
Where does the Zadroga Act get is Name?
James Zadroga was a New York City police officer who died of a respiratory disease that has been attributed to participation from recovery efforts at Ground Zero. Zadroga was the first officer whose death was attributed to exposure at the attack site. Zadroga, who spent roughly 450 hours at Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11, was a healthy non-smoker with no history of asthma or any other known respiratory conditions that would develop a persistent cough and shortness of breath in the weeks and months that would follow.
What is the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
The fund was created to provide compensation for any individual or personal representative of a deceased individual who suffered physical harm or died as a result of either the 9/11 attacks or from the debris removal efforts immediately following the attacks. The original VCF operated from 2001 to 2004 and on January 2, 2011, President Obama signed into law the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act). Opening in 2011, the reactivated VCF was authorized to operate for a period of five years. Then, on December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law a bill that extends the VCF for an additional five years that will end December 18, 2020.
Renewal of the Zadroga Act
The aforementioned extension of the Zadroga Act means that the 9/11 VCF claims will now be fully funded. The renewal removed the cap on payments for those people who had already received an award letter prior to the passage of the renewal act. Prior to the renewal, there was a set amount of money in the Victim Compensation Fund. 10% of the award amount would be paid in the interim and the remaining amount would be on hold until all claim values were added up. If total claim values exceeded total money in the fund, compensation would be prorated to fit the total amount in the fund.
Renewal Caps and Limits of Zadroga Bill Payouts
When calculating economic awards, the yearly salary will be capped at $200,000 per year
When calculating non-economic awards, cancer claims will be capped at $250,000
When calculating non-economic awards, non-cancer claims will be capped at $90,000
Zadroga Settlement Funding
Thrivest offers Zadroga claim advances for all individuals who were physically injured as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks or debris removal. The advances work like this:
1. You have filed a claim with the VCF and qualify for compensation under the stipulations of the 2011 Zadroga Act.
2. Thrivest purchases a portion of your remaining award amount.
3. Thrivest then provides you with an advance based on this portion of your award.
4. When the VCF distributes the balance of your award in 2017, Thrivest is directly repaid from your attorney’s escrow account.
5. Because we only purchased a portion of your award, you are still paid the remainder.
An advance on your Zadroga claim will help you cover any necessary costs while you wait to receive your full payment from the VCF. It can reduce your financial stress so that you can focus on living a full, healthy life. If you think a Zadroga claim advance could be the right solution for your needs, please call one of our plaintiff advance experts at 888-697-7352. Or to apply online, simply click here and fill out our quick form application.