If your loved one was a responder or survivor who passed as a result of a 9/11-related health condition, the amount of grief you’ve been forced to endure may be unbearable. Unfortunately, you and your family may also be suffering from the financial impact of losing a member of your household. Although there’s no amount of money that can compensate you for your tragic loss, you may be entitled to an award from the VCF to help ease your economic burden. The Dearie Law Firm, P.C. has been helping families in the 9/11 community recover their rightfully entitled compensation for their economic loss for more than a decade.

Recoverable Damages in a 9/11 Economic Loss Claim for a Deceased Victim

A 9/11 economic loss claim can be submitted by the personal representative of the deceased victim’s estate. A victim’s family may be entitled to monetary recovery from the VCF for economic losses such as:

• Lost earnings and benefits
• Unreimbursed medical expenses
• Replacement services loss
• Burial or memorial service expenses

It’s critical to ensure that all the documents required to prove economic loss are included when you submit your VCF claim — if information is missing, the VCF will only award non-economic damages. All necessary documentation must be provided with your initial claim submission to ensure you recover the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. Once the VCF finalizes substantive review for a deceased claim, it cannot be amended to supply the excluded materials.

VCF Compensation for Future Lost Earnings and Benefits

If your loved one died as a result of their eligible 9/11-related health condition, the VCF will calculate their lost earnings and benefits. The VCF will also consider whether there is a compensable loss. It’s important to provide adequate proof of economic loss to support your claim.
Even if the victim’s death was caused by their eligible 9/11-related health condition, the VCF will consider a number of factors in determining whether there was a compensable loss in order to award lost earnings and benefits for a deceased claim. For instance, in cases where the victim is older than 65, lost earnings and benefits will usually not be awarded since the VCF presumes that the victim already reached their work-life expectancy.

Additionally, in considering whether lost earnings and benefits can be awarded in a 9/11 economic loss claim, the VCF will look at the timeframe in which the victim stopped working, and the reasons why. It may be necessary to provide further documentation to the VCF concerning the victim’s disability, or medical records that link the victim’s 9/11-related physical health condition and their loss of earnings.

Importantly, if your loved one was receiving — or entitled to receive — a pension before they died, all supporting documentation required by the VCF to calculate the pension should be included when the claim is submitted to ensure you get the full amount of compensation available for your 9/11 economic loss claim.

Contact an Knowledgeable 9/11 VCF Attorney

If your loved one was a responder or survivor who died as a result of their 9/11-related cancer, illness, or physical health condition, you may be entitled to receive an award from the VCF to recover their loss of earnings, burial costs, replacement services loss, medical expenses, and other economic damages. However, it can be confusing to know what proof you should submit with your claim — and how to navigate the VCF’s regulations.

The attorneys at The Dearie Law Firm, P.C. understand that the VCF regulations for filing a 9/11 economic loss claim for a deceased victim can be overwhelming and are committed to guiding the families of responders and survivors through the process. Contact us for a consultation.