World Trade Center Health Claims
Active claim. Nationwide. For people who were in lower Manhattan between September 11, 2001 and May 30, 2002 and later got sick.
We are not the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, the WTC Health Program, or any government agency. This is a private advertising publisher. The government programs are free to apply to directly at vcf.gov and cdc.gov/wtc.
What is happening
Two federal programs exist for people harmed by the September 11 attacks and the months of cleanup that followed. The WTC Health Program provides monitoring and treatment. The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund pays money for certain illnesses tied to the exposure. Congress has funded the health program through 2040, and the compensation fund is open until 2090.
Tens of thousands of people who lived, worked, went to school, or volunteered in lower Manhattan in that window have been diagnosed with cancers and other illnesses years later. Many never realized they qualify. You did not need to be a firefighter or police officer. Office workers, residents, students, and cleanup crews are covered too.
Who may qualify
- You were in the exposure area of lower Manhattan at any point between September 11, 2001 and May 30, 2002. The area is generally south of Canal Street, and it includes a stretch up to Clinton Street on the Lower East Side, plus debris routes and barge sites.
- You were there on September 11 itself, or spent time there in the months after.
- You have been diagnosed with cancer. The programs cover a long list of illnesses, and this specific check focuses on cancer.
- You do not already have a lawyer for this.
- People who already received Fund money can sometimes claim again if their condition got worse.
This list is a plain summary, not legal advice. A legal team decides what fits.
The honest part about deadlines
You may have seen scary deadline ads. Here is the truth. The Fund accepts claims until October 1, 2090. There is one real time rule: after the WTC Health Program certifies your illness, you have 2 years to register with the Fund. Registering is not filing a claim. It just preserves your right. This is why checking after a diagnosis matters, without any panic.
The fee cap, stated plainly
Federal law caps attorney fees on Victim Compensation Fund awards at 10 percent. Any legal team that handles these claims works under that cap. If someone quotes you a bigger share for a Fund claim, walk away.
Watch out for scams
Government regulators have warned about scammers who fake the Fund's caller ID and phish for Social Security and bank numbers. The real Fund never asks for your full Social Security number or card numbers in a cold call. We will never call you claiming to be the Fund. If someone does, hang up and report it.
Questions people ask
I was just an office worker there. Do I count?
Yes, presence is what matters, not your job. Residents, workers, students, and visitors in the exposure area are covered.
I have skin cancer. Does it qualify?
The WTC Health Program does cover skin cancer. This specific check focuses on other cancers, but the federal programs are open to you directly and a legal team can advise on your situation.
I already got money from the Fund. Can I claim again?
Sometimes. If your condition got worse or new costs appeared, the Fund allows updated claims.
What proof do I need I was there?
Legal teams use work records, school records, leases, witness statements, and similar everyday paper. You do not need to have kept anything special to start a check.