N.Y. judge backs 9/11 settlement

June 11, 2010|Associated Press

NEW YORK — A federal judge who held up an effort to settle thousands of lawsuits filed by Sept. 11 responders exposed to World Trade Center dust dropped his opposition yesterday after the deal was redrafted to give more money to sick workers and less to their lawyers.

US District Judge Hellerstein gave his enthusiastic endorsement to a new settlement that could pay as much as $713 million to about 10,000 police, firefighters, and construction workers.

He implored them to take the money, saying it was time to end an ugly and complicated case that has pitted New York City officials against thousands of men and women hailed as heroes for their service at the trade center.

Just three months ago, the judge sternly rejected an earlier plan that was worth about $125 million less, saying it did too little for ground zero workers who got sick after breathing toxic ash. Plaintiffs in the case have complained of breathing and digestive problems, chronic cough, and hundreds of other common and rare ailments.

Among other things, the proposal would boost payments for people diagnosed with cancer, an illness that has not been linked to the dust but is perhaps the most feared among the workers.

The settlement’s success is still in doubt. Under the terms of the agreement, 95 percent of the workers involved in the case must opt in for it take effect. They have until Sept. 30.

John Feal, of the Long Island-based Sept. 11 victims’ group, the FealGood Foundation, praised the improved compensation in the legal settlement but said it still does too little for the sickest responders.

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