Thread: NYC Settles World Trade Center Cases

NEW YORK (AP) - New York City has agreed to pay up to $657 million to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits filed by ground zero rescue and response workers who say they were sickened by World Trade Center dust.

The settlement was announced Thursday evening by the WTC Captive Insurance Company, a special entitity established to idemnify the city and its contractors against potential legal action as they moved to clean up the site.

I think I need to defer to RightInNYC on this one, since I don't understand the rationale behind the settlement. NYC did not create the dust that caused first responders to be sickened. Terrorists did. Did NYC send the responders into harms way knowingly? That is all I can think of, but if they were trying to save lives, then aren't they doing their job by taking risks?

At any rate, I don't understand the decision to settle. Hopefully, someone can help me with that.

Article is here.

Originally Posted by danarhea

I think I need to defer to RightInNYC on this one, since I don't understand the rationale behind the settlement. NYC did not create the dust that caused first responders to be sickened. Terrorists did. Did NYC send the responders into harms way knowingly? That is all I can think of, but if they were trying to save lives, then aren't they doing their job by taking risks?

At any rate, I don't understand the decision to settle. Hopefully, someone can help me with that.

Article is here.

Is there an election in NYC soon?

Im sure the responders have a health plan from the state and/or city, maybe they felt they werent getting what was agreed on in the contract.

Originally Posted by Wiseone

Im sure the responders have a health plan from the state and/or city, maybe they felt they werent getting what was agreed on in the contract.

Then wouldn't that be the fault of the insurance company, and not the city, if it were true?

I think its more of a procedural way for these claims to get paid than a lawsuit really trying to punish the city. It looks like the money for the settlements is almost entirely coming from the federal government, but just via this settlement method.

They should hold out for more. This miserly first offer won't cover their future healthcare costs under the present system.

Originally Posted by Manc Skipper

They should hold out for more. This miserly first offer won't cover their future healthcare costs under the present system.

What exactly are you basing this on? From all appearances, they've been pretty good about this beginning to end. It's probably the absolute last thing that any politician ever wants to be seen as opposing.

Originally Posted by Manc Skipper

They should hold out for more. This miserly first offer won't cover their future healthcare costs under the present system.

If future medical bills become a problem, we'll kick them some more money.

Originally Posted by RightinNYC

What exactly are you basing this on? From all appearances, they've been pretty good about this beginning to end. It's probably the absolute last thing that any politician ever wants to be seen as opposing.

My question is why should they get any money at all? I don't want to seem cold hearted here, but shouldn't their medical insurance cover their injuries? Was it the fault of NYC that they chose to work in jobs that were considered dangerous?

I don't know about anyone else, but in the private sector, when employers provide insurance, the insurance pays out, not the taxpayers. IMHO, I believe that this decision came about due to political expediency, rather than common sense. I could be wrong, though. If I am, please show me where.