Rules of Eligibility - The current rules state if any person was injured during the attacks ( in my case, New York City, but also Washington DC), that person must have presented themselves and their case to a medical official or hospital within 72 hours of the occurrence. Originally this was 24 hours but was revised. However it should be noted that the Special Master reserves the right to alter these parameters as he see fit. 

Any comments made in this website concerning the Victims Compensation Fund are directed firmly at the statute and regulations of the fund and in no represent any officers, administrators or representatives of the fund in anyway whatsoever . 

Some questions come to mind about the fund and compensation for injured people: I figure three variables about the 72 hour ruling. 

I. Deceased-There is no need for further explanation on this point, it's cut and dry. However using figures to asses loss that are 27 years old, calculating income loss from earnings after tax and factoring in life assurance, 401K's etc is ridiculous. Did the fund pay for all this? No. So why are they staking claim to it in their calculations? See the 'links' page for Fix The Fund. That organization deals with this in far more detail. 

II.  Injured-Sort Immediate Medical Attention. I have no way of knowing but I am guessing that those that were seen by a doctor under the original 24 hour rule were those people that had serious visible injury; head wounds, cuts, broken limbs etc. Those people that had immediate visual serious injury. 

III.  Injured-But not aware of any deep injury that may cause concern way after any 24 or 72 hour rule. The way I interpret the 24-72 hour rule is that in order to qualify for injured persons compensation the claimant must show that he/she is hurt badly enough to see immediate medical attention. Mr. Feinberg and the VCF must have the medical profession in turmoil by declaring that if medical attention was not immediately found the injured person could not have been injured badly enough. RUBBISH! Ask any doctor if there are injuries that may take weeks, months possibly years to be a problem.....An example, totally off the WTC subject was the case of my dear mother. Three years after getting a bump on the head from the kitchen cabinet door she went into a coma suddenly and was found to have a life threatening blood clot in the brain! Three years! Surgery saved her life. The doctor in this case told the family that over time that blood clot grew and suddenly it was sufficient size to be of concern. It would have not shown under any x-ray or MRI for maybe months. The fact that she has headaches for a few weeks, three years later, proved his case. 

It's interesting to note that in a recent AP article published March 25th 2003 the Workers Compensation Board of New York State have allowed for a 2 year window for applications to be filed because, as they put it, ' realization of injury'. How do you interpret that? Are they saying that some injuries take longer to be realized than others? Are they saying not all injuries take 24-72 hours to be realized. If the answer is yes, then the VCF clearly disagree with the ruling or guidelines of a state appointed body. 

My question is...Is there anyone out there that has an injury of any sort that can relate to what I am outlining?. I know the answer to my own question; YES! I saw them with my own eyes. I saw people holding there heads, arms, legs etc and in visible distress. Some with blood some with not. Now ask yourself this; if you were one of those but only suffered a bruise would you have gone to hospital that day or within 72 hours? Ask the doctor what to do about a 'bruise'. Let me not insult your intelligence. 

So how the can this rule have any validity. Lets say this example is you. And lets equate that injury to my mother.

You did not go to hospital because you did not think you were hurt badly enough, maybe was a little scared to go outside into a WAR ZONE and in my scenario a few years pass and bang! It hits you. You cannot work for months or ever again. Where are you left? I will tell you...up a long creek without a paddle.

Now can you see my point of view? This law or whatever you can call it needs to be changed. Each case needs to be awarded on merit and actual medical fact. It's that  simple. I really thought the law was there to protect the innocent? Why are these people not thinking about the state of the city for the week after 9/11? Is there no room for human anguish? Do they think we all went about the city after all this happened. I remember hearing on the news that before 9/11 there were approximately 7 'bomb' related calls to NYPD per day. I guess these were things like someone seeing a suspicious package that turned out to be a false alarm. Yet they have to be checked. But after 9/11 this average rose to 47 per day. Now that can paint a better picture of the mood of the city.

This is not just about me, its about everyone. I feel strongly enough about this to try and somehow raises awareness..

I am not a doctor, I have no medical training, I guess that’s the same for many of the people that designed and manage the fund. But I do have common sense to know that there are holes all over this.

In my case numerous doctors have told me that my injury may not have shown symptoms for many weeks maybe months and that it is consistent with the problems I have now. I have never fallen or been hit in the neck in any way. The injury and the medication that I take each day just to take the edge of the pain has cost me my job and income. Basically I have trouble typing as the injury has affected my hand coordination and I know that eventually I need surgery. I have little concentration and I have to spend most of the day lying down as this has left me in a mess. No job no insurance. So how am I supposed to be paying for that? 

What happened to the American Dream I came in search off. It's turned out to be a damn nightmare. Freedom and Liberty for all. Not for the people who never came home, not for those who did not go to hospital within the allotted time.

What about those people that gave their time to dig through the tons of rubble who now have back problems?  Are they being compensated? If we all went to hospital every time we had a slight pain or tingle I am sure that the medical system would be in a mess.

Does anyone remember what the mood of 9/11 was like in New York that night? I do. The TV news reported that New York hospitals were overflowing. They could not cope with the outpouring of victims, emergency workers and volunteers.  The city was on full alert and we were all concerned with those needier than ourselves. Not by any stretch of any sane person mind could something like this happen. For the following ten days I saw people walking in the city like zombies, in total disbelief. Surely the human factor has credibility here.

In spite of my pain, it seemed inappropriate to burden the hospital system with what at the time seemed to a bad bruise.  How many of us have hurt ourselves and waited a few days to heal up, only to find out our injuries were more serious than we thought?  Or a runny nose which turned out to be the flu, keeping us out of work?  I wonder if I had gone to an emergency room, would I have been seen? Would I have been told to come back tomorrow as I was not a clear emergency? But for the rules of the fund to make this sweeping parameter on eligibility is ridiculous. Can you relate to this? 

Had we all known about 'rules' involved in this unusual and unexpected terrorist event, I am sure many people would have waited in emergency rooms all over New York and Washington , DC , all night if necessary. But no one was prepared for anything of this magnitude -- not even The Special Master himself.