In response to the September 11th terrorist attacks, Congress established the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, a unique federal entitlement program for the families of those who perished or were injured in the September 11th attacks.
Through Trial Lawyers Care, Inc., the largest pro bono legal services program ever undertaken, thousands of trial lawyers have pledged to provide legal services at no cost to victims who choose to file claims with the Fund.
To date, we have assigned over 1500 victim families to volunteer attorneys. Hundreds of families still need our help as the Fund application deadline - December 22, 2003 – approaches. It is vitally important to have attorneys trained and standing by to assist claimants now and in the coming months.
Please join this ever-growing group of volunteer attorneys who truly represent the best of the trial bar. To become a volunteer attorney, please contact Trial Lawyers Care at (917) 464-0105, ext. 500 and ask for an attorney application or visit our web-site at www.911lawhelp.org to sign up online.
Trial Lawyers Care
Trial Lawyers Care continues to receive requests for assistance with claims to the Federal Victim Compensation Fund (the "Fund"). Nearly half of the eligible claimants have already filed, but TLC anticipates that hundreds more will emerge in the last months. The last day to file a claim with the Fund is December 22, 2003. As that deadline approaches, TLC urgently needs volunteer attorneys to help these victims of September 11th and their families.
Attorneys must have 5 years' experience, have settled or tried 15 wrongful death or personal injury cases and be covered by malpractice insurance. Those with less experience may work with a designated supervising attorney who meets these requirements. An attorney application can be found at: http//www.911lawhelp.org/info/lawyers/form.pdf . You may download it, fill it out and fax it to TLC at 917-464-0160.
After the September 11th attacks, Congress established The Victim Compensation Fund to provide a simple, speedy, no-fault way to compensate victims who were injured or who lost loved ones. The Fund is administered by Special Master Kenneth Feinberg. It has no "cap"; payments to the victims come from the federal government's general funds and thus require no special appropriation. Eligible victims receive compensation based on their economic and non-economic losses and receive a check within 120 days of the date that the claim is deemed substantially complete.
Trial Lawyers Care is a national non-profit organization created by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. TLC's mandate is to recruit and match experienced attorneys who will provide free legal assistance to victims considering filing claims to the VCF. This assistance includes providing information about the Fund, helping victims decide whether to make a claim, and assisting them if they decide to do so. To date, TLC has matched almost 1600 victims of September 11th with volunteer attorneys from across the nation.
TLC provides a vast array of training and support services for its volunteer attorneys, including a 200-page Attorney Handbook, checklists for completing claims, staff attorneys to answer questions, educational seminars, list servers where volunteer attorneys can exchange information and which TLC uses to keep its attorneys up to date on the latest information about the Fund, a database of information about claims filed by TLC attorneys, a list of hundreds of experts in various fields who will assist TLC attorneys gratis or at reduced rates, translators and interpreters, meeting and conference space, and examples of claims already filed.
More information is available at TLC's website: www.911lawhelp.org.
Time is of the essence as the deadline approaches, and we hope that you will join this noble cause. TLC volunteer attorneys who have helped September 11th victims with their claims to the Fund have found this to be one of the most rewarding experiences of their professional careers. Thank you for reading and responding to this appeal. The time to help is NOW.
Important Information