Zadroga Claim can give victims a second lease on life

Every mistake comes at the cost of a price that has to be eventually paid. And the fateful destruction of the World Trade Towers in 9/11 is no different. However, the unfortunate part here is that those responsible for this man-made calamity are absconding scot-free and innocent victims are having to bear all the brunt.

By innocent victims we don’t mean only those unfortunate people who happened to be trapped at the attack site, during the time of this ill-fated incident. This term also implies to the brave volunteers who risked their lives by participating in the various rescue and relief operations at that time and are now suffering from life-threatening diseases as a result.

The wisdom of the government’s decision to hold these rescue operations, that have ended up jeopardizing the life of many, is being majorly analyzed and debated. Having said that, all of this is redundant as nothing can deny the fact that it is too late in the day for all those who have been exposed to harmful chemicals at the attack site and contracted some majorly devastating and life-threatening diseases as a result.

While the consequences are irreversible, the government is highly understanding of the problems hence caused and are determined to leave no stone unturned to provide satisfactory relief to these 9/11 rescue team victims. And the Zadroga Claim is one such helpful initiative on the behalf of the government to achieve the same.

In January 2011, the government of the United States of America issued the Zadroga Law under which, all volunteers of the rescue and relief operations and the residents, students and employees of the WTC attack site, suffering from a fateful disease as a result, are eligible to file for the Zadroga Claim. The Zadroga Claim provided for 9/11 firefighters, police personnel’s, construction and clean-up workers, volunteers, federal workers etc. suffering from serious health conditions such as Upper or Lower Airway Disease, Acid Reflux Disease, Obstructive Airway Diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); or Obstructive Lung Defects such as Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS), occupational asthma (WTC Cough), Sarcoidosis, Asbestosis and Mesothelioma Cancer. Under the Zadroga Claim, these victims are provided with appropriate medical care and financial aid, in order to lift the burden of maintaining their illness off their shoulders.

The Zadroga Claim came as a major relief , at a time when the 9/11 victims were spent keeping up with their extreme health conditions, which was primarily a result of the government’s ill decision of having them sent to the attack site, miscalculating the looming disaster that was to follow. However, not only does the government try and make up for the unfortunate loss caused to these victims, but even the Zadroga lawyers are very generous about not taking their fee unless they make their client win the case of compensation.