Ground Zero workers getting $600 million+

New York City and its contractors have agreed to pay more than $600 million to more than 10,000 police, firefighters and workers who suffered respiratory illness after responding to the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center. Some will get a few thousand dollars, while others will receive more than $1 million, based on the severity of their illnensses.

Jerry DeMarco

03/12/2010 2:30 p.m.

The city and other companies represented by the insurer are liable for at least $575 million, although most — if not all — of the money would come from a $1 billion FEMA grant. The agreement comes two months before the first trial in the case.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the deal “a fair and reasonable resolution to a complex set of circumstances.”

“The resolution of the World Trade Centre litigation will allow the first responders and workers to be compensated for injuries suffered following their work at Ground Zero.”

Many of the workers, who said they were sent in without proper equipment, have reported respiratory problems similar to asthma, among hundreds of other ailments, including cancer.

Wikipedia photo

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