Advocates urge 9/11 victims to apply for Zadroga help

Health care program is open to students, residents, workers

November 16, 2017 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Lawyer Michael Barasch, who has represented over 10,000 first responders and survivors sickened after the Sept. 11 terror attack and its aftermath, speaks at a recent pres conference in Lower Manhattan to raise awareness of the Zadroga Act and its benefits. Photo courtesy of Butler Associates

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The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act isn’t just for first responders, according to advocates and elected officials, who are mounting an all-out effort to spread the word that the federally funded program is also available for people who went to school, worked or lived in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights on Sept. 11, 2001 and in the months that followed.

Brooklyn Heights is considered part of the coverage area, officials said.

The public awareness campaign, which began two months ago, is stepping up in an attempt to convince those who might have been exposed to the toxins from the World Trade Center site to come forward.

The victims might be eligible for medical treatment and financial compensation.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was enacted to provide health care and assistance to victims who have developed serious illnesses as a result of exposure to toxins at the World Trade Center.

But many of the people who were living, working or going to school in Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn Heights might not be aware that they are eligible to be covered by the Zadroga Act, according to health and education officials.

Lawyer Michael Barasch, who has represented more than 10,000 first responders and survivors sickened after 9/11, is among those trying to raise awareness of the program.

“It’s heartbreaking. We now represent 22 teachers and students, almost all of whom have come to us since we began spreading the word over the last two months. Four of those teachers have breast cancer and nine of the former students, all now in their mid-20s, are suffering from lung diseases and cancers. This is a growing and serious health epidemic and it is so important for anyone who lived, worked or spent time in that area to understand the importance of receiving health monitoring and knowing the federal programs in place for their well-being,” Barasch said in a statement.

Barasch’s law firm, Barasch McGarry PC, represented James Zadroga in his fight to win compensation for his illness. Zadroga, who was a police detective and worked on the recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site, died of a respiratory illness in 2006.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York), who worked for passage of the Zadroga Act, urged victims to come forward.

“While the dust has settled from the World Trade Center attacks, the physical ramifications of 9/11 are still with many. As a proud sponsor of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, I am urging any individual who suffered residual effects from the dangerous toxins following the attacks to come forward and get the assistance they need,” Schumer said in a statement.

Advocates also announced that the first in a series of health forums on Zadroga Act eligibility guidelines will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18, at P.S. 124, 40 Division St. in Lower Manhattan.

“We cannot go back and change the events of the past, but ensuring that our survivors maintain the best possible quality of life helps New Yorkers make resilience the lasting legacy of our collective tragedy.” Public Advocate Letitia James said.

The World Trade Center Health Program, which was created under the Zadroga Act, provides health evaluations and treatment for eligible residents.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/faq.html.