Justice Department Regulations Would Leave Many 9-1l Families
With Little or No Compensation
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to interim regulations
released today by the U.S. Department of Justice for the federal September
11th Victim Compensation Fund, Families of September 11, Inc. said that the
regulations do not comply with the law passed by Congress and would leave many
families with little or no compensation for either their economic losses or
their pain and suffering.
Families of September 11 is a national non-profit organization dedicated
to protecting the interests of the surviving victims and the families of those
killed in the recent terrorist attacks and to advocating public policies to
prevent and respond to terrorist attacks.
"These interim regulations would gut the Fund enacted by Congress," said
Carie Lemack, president of Families of September 11. "Congress intended the
Fund to replace the right to sue the airlines that was severely restricted by
the same law."
Under the interim regulations, a grid that does not take into account the
full earnings potential of the people killed in the attacks determines
economic damages. The regulations allow non-economic damages that are
approximately one-tenth the level normally paid in other plane crash and
terrorism cases. Because the law requires deduction of "collateral payments,"
such as life insurance and pension plans, both the economic and non-economic
damage awards that would be allowed under the interim regulations will be
greatly reduced or completely eliminated for many families in all income
brackets.
While some families may benefit from the Fund, even with the limited
payments allowed under the interim regulations, Families of September 11
predicts that many families will prefer to sue the airlines or others unless
the final regulations are changed to comply with the law.
Based in Falls Church, Va., Families of September 11 welcomes as members
all surviving victims and families of victims who died in the September 11
terrorist attacks and the subsequent anthrax attacks. Other people who want
to support the organization's work can join as associate members. Victims,
families, donors, volunteers, and anyone else interested in learning more can
visit the group's Web site at http://www.familiesof911.org or call
1-800-568-8399.
The name "Families of September 11" is a service mark of Families of
September 11, Inc.
SOURCE Families of September 11, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.familiesof911.org
CONTACT:
Stephen Push of Families of September 11,
Inc., +1-202-257-1252
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