Thousands of 9/11 workers can now sue over illnesses

Thousands of 9/11 workers can now sue over illnesses

whose legal claims have been barred because of missed deadlines can now join a massive group suing New York City under a law signed by Gov. David A. Paterson, officials said. The law immediately allows more than 3,000 Ground Zero workers to revive lawsuits that were thrown out by a federal judge in July on the technical ground that they were not filed within 90 days of the workers' conditions being diagnosed.

Its about time...

"I put my life on the line to help the city and the state, and we were lied to that the air was good to breathe," said Klein, who said he also has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and chronic sinusitis. Klein said he will now join a separate group of about 10,000 police, firefighters, construction workers and others who worked at or near Ground Zero in the months after 9/11 and who filed lawsuits seeking compensation for subsequent illnesses. They contend the government had told them, falsely, the air conditions were safe.

This definitely has a lot of support! the first responders are finally getting what they deserve, compensation for their bravery, and sacrifice.

Guys what are your thoughts?

(mods, this was over 3 days old, so i didn't submit it as a news article, but if it qualifies, move it please, thanks!)

www.newsday.com...

The towers had asbestos linings for the steel, Gypsum which would also contain Asbestos, was used extensively according to the non-concrete core lining people. Asbestos sourced in Europe and the USA is white, does that ring any bells? Health and safety should have been on the ball from the outset, ground zero was never safe to anyone unprotected and is probably still dodgy a place to be in. I am near sure that there are pics of people clearing the site back than without even a Martindale mask, (the most basic protection) what were they doing there at all? if they had a union their health and safety guys would have known that, as it is one of the first things to look at. The government most likely, would have, (should have) known it too.

I wonder what the correlation is between the workers who are sick and the workers who said they never/rarely wore a mask during the cleanup. Also, I wonder how many of the workers who said they almost always/always did wear a mask during the cleanup.

There were a few comments when I posted the story on 30th Sept.:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Swampfox46_1999
That is something that may be hard to define and given that there was so much other "stuff" flying around, like Aluminium vapour,(Aluminium is treated like a heavy metal), ie; toxic material. Also Aluminium combined with a water source, and including Concrete, (more water) and Iron, as an accidental scenario has been suggested in some theories as a way for a Thermite reaction that would have brought the buildings down. The thing about Asbestos on it's own is that it is extremely harmful, and may not manifest for over a long period. The Judge advocate who threw out any sick case related to 9/11 because of a 90 day ruling is morally wrong anyway, and you can bet he/she would have known that.

SnF to you again mate.

I have not heard this in the news here in the UK yet. Don't know if I will when you considered BBC reported building 7 fell down 30 minutes before it did. The head of EPA came out and said it was safe and by statistics this news is a bit late in coming for justice to these brave people who did all of the work. Amazing how many have died and are dying right now. Why is the head of the EPA not jail for her disinformation. I still cannot believe some one would give the air quality an okay when it wasn't. I cannot believe that nobody settled that score. I just hope some of our national heroes will now receive some money for the drugs and medical care that they need not to forget these heroes have day to day expenses that need to be paid as well.

This should never happened I am sure that TPTB could have come up with a protective suit for these heroes to wear while doing their clean up.

Question is there any real chance for these victims to receive a payout?

reply to post by smurfy


Not all that hard to define. There were health assessments done of almost all of the ground zero workers and the precautions that the workers took while working there.

posted by Swampfox46_1999
reply to post by smurfy

 

Not all that hard to define. There were health assessments done of almost all of the ground zero workers and the precautions that the workers took while working there.

So the hell with them then, right?

Does that about correctly define your position Swampfox?

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8fb19afbdf4f.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by Swampfox46_1999
Hi Swamp,
I'm afraid it is hard to define, from this point of view. Those who may be sick now, could be suffering from something as yet undefined, but there were many heavy metals present, and maybe in some kind of reactive way. Asbestos sickness on its own can take half a lifetime to manifest, and the very fact that Asbestos dust would be present at 9/11 is a big warning bell to anyone who was there. The danger of unstabilised Asbestos was well known even before the towers were built.

Originally posted by SPreston


So the hell with them then, right?

Does that about correctly define your position Swampfox?

I can't speak for Swampfox, but I think what he is curious about is the effectiveness or lack there of with the respirators that the crews were using.

Unfortunately, many workers went against the rules of wearing their protective equipment. (some, I believe were fired for this) The EPA, OSHA, and the NYC and NYS DEP all quickly determined that the air at Ground Zero was not safe to breathe without the use of proper air filtration respirators.

Again, it will be interesting to know who was wearing masks, who went without,(150,000 were distributed and only 40 thousand worked the site) and perhaps, who was not trained on the dangers of not wearing a properly fitted mask.

Regardless, all of them deserve to be taken care of during their time of need.

reply to post by ImAPepper


Since making the response that is richly deserved to a previous poster will get me in trouble I will stick to the last one...

Pretty much spot on Pepper. Many workers refused to use their PPE, it would be interesting to see the relationship between the workers who are the sickest to the ones who refused to use the PPE.

And I say that as someone, who has refused/neglected to use PPE on occasions because it was too uncomfortable. In which case, if I get sick because of it, it will be my own fault.....not unlike someone who smoked for 50 years and is dying of lung cancer.

I haven't seen any reports saying stirring up contaminated dust without any type of mask is safe. I guess there is one I haven't seen? There is a difference between the air in a general area being safe, and the air one breathes in while digging.
Since when does breathing contaminated air cause PTSD and depression?

reply to post by stevegmu
Hi Steve,
IMHO, there is no difference in a general area and digging the ground in regard to Asbestos, it is there no matter what and could well be the biggest killer of all in the long run. If as Swamp says people refused to wear a mask of any kind, it should have been known that those people should have been refused access to the ground zero site. That would include everyone from workers, reporters and G.W. Bush.

reply to post by smurfy



Do you have scientific data showing there is no difference between digging through particulates and the general air quality in an area the size of Manhattan? Asbestos settles, unless disturbed, and doesn't carry far. It would seem to me digging through asbestos-laden dirt without a mask would be far more hazardous than standing on the street 3 blocks away. There is no excuse for not wearing masks, other than ignorance and stupidity.

Steve,
Did someone go out with their vacuum cleaner and suck up all the dust? i'm not trying to be smart by saying that, just trying to be real and as to what was unleashed on 9/11. The particulates of Asbestos are just that and can be blown anywhere and they don't just disappear and they are probably just as insiduous as a nuclear fallout.

[edit on 4-10-2009 by smurfy]

Hang on did not Christie Todd Whitman Head of EPA during 911 say, that the air in lower Manhattan was safe. However, she did recommend that ground zero workers should use protective breathing equipment at the site.

BTW above emboldment was a direct quote from the horse mouth!

SAFE means okay to breath!!!!!

Recommendation is only a suggestion...... If I heard this I would not have after all why hamper my progress from something that would make breathing more difficult and uncomfortable which may hamper my progress looking for lives that need saving?

Do we have facts that there was enough safety equipment to go all around?

I am talking about air tanks and full face shields which I now understand was needed compared to spray paint breathers which when clogged don't work after a fashion especially those dust mask used for sanding as seen in pixs of Japanese pedestrians wearing.

health.dailynewscentral.com...



These victims are US Heroes that need help (yesteryear), now and relatives need money for their loss (and money alreadied paid out to medical coverage not paid by health care for whatever reason and meds that were/are frightfully expensive) due to misinformation from the head of a government agency which is paid for in taxes to protect people in situations like this "Recommended" Is Not "A Must Have". It is recommended to have a University degree when seeking a white collar job not a requirement!

BTW you would have paid anything for one of these unmasked heroes to uncover the rubble that was keeping you down and was a difference between life and death. So would have your relatives.....

Those of you making outrageous claims (I am not stating names as that would be aggressive!) please back up your keyboard like I did with proof or at least an article / video that substantiates your point of view in true ATS fashion

[edit on 10/5/2009 by IceHappy]

reply to post by IceHappy
Whitman,I sincerely hope she's named in those lawsuits she and w. administration share the most responsibility for the first responders health problems.Of course I fully expect the sycophants and other debunkers to try and paint these men as being con artists and deadbeats.

Originally posted by Swampfox46_1999
I wonder what the correlation is between the workers who are sick and the workers who said they never/rarely wore a mask during the cleanup. Also, I wonder how many of the workers who said they almost always/always did wear a mask during the cleanup.

They are the same workers who didn't wear a mask to whom the mayer said it would be safe. They are the same workers who didn't wear a mask to whom the EPA said it would be safe against the advice of its own agents. They are the same workers who didn't wear masks that should have been supplied by the city but weren't.

Originally posted by stevegmu
reply to post by smurfy

 

Do you have scientific data showing there is no difference between digging through particulates and the general air quality in an area the size of Manhattan? Asbestos settles, unless disturbed, and doesn't carry far. It would seem to me digging through asbestos-laden dirt without a mask would be far more hazardous than standing on the street 3 blocks away. There is no excuse for not wearing masks, other than ignorance and stupidity.

Or if you don't have one. It is at that time that the burden of "ignorance and stupidity" falls upon those responsible for supplying them. In this case that is who is being sued.

reply to post by jprophet420


I gave you a star for each of the above two posting which your statement is IMHO what common sense should be. I cannot understand why some ATS Posters are picking on our heroes or the system not to meet the costs of these ill volunteers needs that cost so much money for them to try to live normally that it is amazing some those rescue volunteer are still alive! In any tragidy or natural disasters there will be scum who will try to be con men and try to make money. Did you hear about the woman who headed up the survivors of 911 support group. It was uncovered many years later she was a fraud. Tania Head google her story!

www.dailymail.co.uk... st-problem--wasnt-day.html

or

www.spiked-online.com.../site/article/5715/

But the point I was making is that the US Armed Services over seas in warfare doesn't have enough kit then how could the City of NY NY have enough breather and air tanks with face mask for every volunteer worker. Not possible so the next best thing to do is to lie on every level that the air was clean... From the ill groups of people I have seen they are not faking it. Their lifes are over it is just a question for some of them how confortable we can make their remaining days.

Frankly I am embarrassed as a human borned in the United States, that the non support and lack of commitment from the United State System (our government) to help these sick volunteers and now some posters at ATS judge if these sick victims were wearing the correct kit or not when they were out in ground zero who were only there trying to help buried people by doing their duty, only now, to be questioned if they had the right kit on whilst serving and helping those who badly needed a helping hand that day.

How has this been allowed to continue, this lack of support, this lack of medical attention and this lack of medication and the lack of honour toward these heroes for so many unbearable years?

I just don't understand and so ashamed of our treatment of these people.

For those poster who point out that there were workers without correct filter gear. Why was there not some Government Official out there at ground Zero to point this error our and provide the correct equipment to the offending volunteer i.e. as it would happen in the following example.....
A train union shop steward on a union factory floor would stop a worker from working until he had the correct safety kit on and working!!!!

New York DID NOT HAVE It.

Pay the ill workers for what they need to be confortable for the few years left. Don't make them sue the government as they don't have much time on this earth and it is understood their sacrafice and the repercussions.

[edit on 10/6/2009 by IceHappy]