Do You Need a Lawyer to File a VCF Claim?

n the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the plane crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, Congress passed the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act (ATSSA; P.L. 107-42) on September 22, 2001. A key component was Title IV; the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF1), used to provide cash benefits to victims of the attack. VCF 1 closed in 2004 and was replaced by the Zadroga Act of 2011 and reauthorized in 2015. In February 2019, it was determined that there was insufficient funding to pay pending and projected claims. In July 2010, the “Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund” was enacted, ensuring full and permanent VCF funding to provide financial relief to victims of the 9/11 attacks. The Victim Compensation Fund has earned the reputation of being “faithful to their statute, fair to their claimants, and defensible to the taxpayers.” Their stated commitment is to “continue serving the 9/11 community as trusted administrators” of the fund. While there is no requirement to have an attorney to file a VCF claim for compensation, there are literally hundreds of reasons why having a knowledgeable 9/11 lawyer can help victims more easily navigate the VCF claims system to ensure the best possible financial award.