Coverage Area for Injured Expanded in 9/11 Fund

The $2.8 billion federal fund set up to benefit those injured in New York City during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, now will cover workers, residents, and responders in an expanded area of lower Manhattan, reports the New York Post. The Victim Compensation Fund’s northern boundary of coverage was pushed 10 blocks, from Reade Street to Canal Street, the main thoroughfare through the borough’s Chinatown.

Beginning on Oct. 3, workers and residents can file claims for physical injuries, including respiratory-related injuries. Cancer and emotional claims such as post-traumatic stress disorder will not be covered. Government experts ruled that the toxic stew stirred up by the attacks could not be proved definitely to have caused a case of cancer. Those suffering from stress disorders are eligible for treatment at the World Trade Center Environmental Health program.

The fund’s head, Sheila Birnbaum, said she expanded the zone because of public testimony and medical evidence showing “that prolonged exposure to dust between Reade and Canal streets created a demonstrable risk of physical harm.”

"My goal is for the Victim Compensation Fund to be fair, transparent, and easy to navigate for those who have been affected the most by the devastating events of Sept. 11," Birnbaum said.