Health Settlement For Ground Zero Workers Faces New Hurdles

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The Wall Street Journal: "After years of frustration, workers sickened in the recovery and cleanup efforts after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are on the verge of getting paid for their illnesses. Yet the proposed legal settlement of up to $712 million also would pay money to thousands of people who aren't sick at all. That's just one of the concerns that could scuttle the proposed deal, which requires approval of 95% of those suing for compensation."

Congress may also pose another hurdle, because a tentative Senate hearing at the end of June "could complicate the legal case as lawyers for the workers press for a change to the bill that would make their settlement terms more appealing." About 10,000 people have made claims that they were sickened by the rubble, and the "construction and rescue workers have about three months to decide whether to accept a settlement proposal that would divide them into four categories based on their degree of suffering" (Barrett, 6/18).

This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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