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WTC survivor granted record $8.6 million
award
04 Jun 2004 19:33:33
GMT
| NEW YORK, June 4
(Reuters) - A New York woman who suffered internal injuries and
crushed legs when she was hit by falling debris in the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks was awarded $8.6 million by the U.S. Victims
Compensation Fund, her lawyer said on Friday.
The award, the biggest such grant yet, was given to
33-year-old Deborah Mardenfeld.
Mardenfeld had just come from a subway under the World Trade
Center when falling debris from the second plane to hit the towers
split open her back, punctured her intestines, sliced off her
buttocks and badly damaged her legs.
She was hospitalized for more than a year, underwent repeated
reconstructive surgery and needs more operations.
"It's not like she won the lottery," attorney Guy Smiley
said. "She's not jumping for joy. She feels at least comfortable
that her economic future is secure."
The fund has settled more than 2,500 personal injury claims.
The average award to relatives of victims is about $1.85 million.
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