The creation of the fund
The attacks on September 11th, 2001 and their aftermath make up what people in the United States consider the most tragic event in our history. According to CNN, it was the deadliest, with almost 3,000 total deaths in New York City, Washington D.C., and in the vicinity of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Considering the devastation that resulted from that day, Congress created the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). The purpose of the fund is to compensate people who were injured, and to provide relief to family members of people who were killed. It also provides compensation for people who were injured or passed away as a result of the debris removal efforts following the attacks.
What the fund offers
In July of 2019, President Trump signed the VCF Permanent Authorization Act into law. The act extends the deadline that people can file a claim from December 18, 2020 to October 1, 2090.
The act also authorized an additional $10.2 billion for the fund across the next ten years–more funds will be added periodically until the deadline in 2090. The idea behind this legislation is that victims of 9/11 and their families will have coverage for the rest of their lives.
There is no way to predict how much compensation any given person will receive, as each person’s case is different.
Filing a claim
Recently, the process of filing a claim for compensation has been updated. Many of the forms that needed to be submitted separately have now been condensed into a single, simplified form.
There is also a new online claims system that makes applying and getting updates more convenient. However, the hard copy form is still available for those who would prefer to submit their application that way.
More information on how to apply is available on the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund website.