A settlement deal has been accepted by the thousands of workers who were exposed to poisonous dust after the 9/11 terror attacks. The workers had sued the city of New York as well as several companies which engaged them in the business of rescuing victims of the attack as well as cleaning up the site. According to the over 10,000 firefighters, laborers and police, measures to properly protect them had not been taken and many have ended up with serious illnesses as a result.

The plaintiffs are expected to collect a total of at least $625 million with only a handful (520) choosing to reject the settlement deal. The terms of the settlement specify that for it to proceed, 95% of the plaintiffs have to consent to it. Each non-smoker who developed a serious respiratory disease within 7 months of exposure to the bombed site will receive compensation of up to $ 1 million while those who have not yet become sick will receive $3250.

In addition, insurance coverage for particular blood and respiratory cancers will be given to affected workers. The chief lawyer of the plaintiffs, Paul Napoli described the deal as the best possible outcome, bearing in mind the unpredictability of protracted litigation. He went on to say that a further $100 million was expected from settlements with other companies.

The negotiations which pitted the Ground Zero workers and over 140 companies as well as an insurance company representing the city of New York have taken a period of nearly two years. In an expression of positivism about the outcome of the negotiations, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said that the settlement was a just resolution of the workers’ claims who gave valuable services to the city when they were most needed.

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