Elana Levin

Cyrus Dugger’s “The Next Victims of 9/11” Runs on TomPaine.com

(from Sarah) Today on TomPaine.com, check out Cyrus Dugger's Op-ed analyzing how injured Ground Zero workers, like all Americans are being harmed by a court system that is often rigged against plaintiffs.

The fifth anniversary of 9/11 is behind us, but not the ongoing tragedy of the suffering of the Ground Zero workers and those who lived near the World Trade Center. As medical studies now confirm, many of these people are suffering serious health problems as a result of their exposure to World Trade Center contaminants, and they risk, over time, meeting a similar fate to those who perished on 9/11. Although 9/11 was a unique event in American history, the impediments Ground Zero workers and local residents have faced trying to secure compensation for their injuries are, sadly, typical.

While most of us are not at risk of developing a Ground Zero-related disease, should we ever get injured as a result of another's negligence, we will face the same justice system that often thwarts victims’ efforts to receive fair compensation and prompt medical treatment. In fact, if you think it is hard for national heroes like Ground Zero workers to receive compensation and treatment for their injuries, just imagine the daunting challenges average Americans face in court.

In the wake of 9/11, government officials made the decision to place economic interests ahead of human ones. Specifically, they downplayed the health risks downtown so they could reopen lower Manhattan, reduce businesses' economic losses, paint a picture of a defiant nation and avoid paying for the environmental cleanup of the area surrounding Ground Zero. As has been confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency's own Inspector General , government officials misled the public by saying downtown Manhattan was safe for human habitation when it clearly was not.

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Posted at 2:58 PM, Sep 29, 2006 in Civil Justice | Government Accountability | Governmental Reform | New York
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