World Trade Center Attorneys
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program is a different program than the
9/11 Victims Compensation Fund; it is an additional program. The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment for responders at the WTC and related sites in New York City,
Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA, and survivors who were in the New York City disaster area.
Due to the complexities of the different programs clients often find it is easier to complete our intake form to determine if there are additional options available to them.
How to qualify for the WTC Health Program
To Qualify for the WTC Health Program you must meet the following criteria:
Fire Department of New York
Eligibility for firefighters in the WTC Health Program Include:
- A member of the Fire Department of New York City (fire or emergency personnel, active or retired) who participated at least one day in the rescue and recovery effort at any of the former World Trade Center sites (including Ground Zero, Staten Island Landfill, and the New York City Chief Medical Examiner’s Office), or;
- A surviving immediate family member of a member of the Fire Department of New York City (whether fire or emergency personnel, active or retired) who was killed at the World Trade site on September 11, 2001, if the family member received any treatment for a WTC-related mental health condition on or before September 1, 2008.
NYC Responder
other requirements for first reponders and cleanup workers in the WTC Health Program include:
- An individual, including current and former Federal employees, who worked or volunteered onsite in rescue, recovery, demolition, debris cleanup or related support services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St), the Staten Island Landfill, or the barge loading piers;
- A member of the Police Department of New York City (active or retired) or a member of the Port Authority Police of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (active or retired) who participated onsite in rescue, recovery, debris cleanup, or related services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St), including Ground Zero, the Staten Island Landfill, or the barge loading piers;
- An employee of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City involved in the examination and handling of human remains from the World Trade Center attacks or other morgue workers who performed similar post-September 11 functions for such Office staff;
- A worker in the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation Tunnel;
- A vehicle-maintenance worker who was exposed to debris from the former World Trade Center while retrieving, driving, cleaning, repairing, and maintaining vehicles contaminated by airborne toxins from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The WTC Health Program provides treatment for a specific list of physical and mental health conditions that have been determined to be caused by exposure to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The program also covers medically associated health conditions, which are caused by the progression or treatment of a covered condition.
Below is the list of covered conditions in the WTC Health Program. The list may change as we continue to learn about 9/11 exposure and its effects on healt
Acute Traumatic Injury
- Burn
- Complex sprain
- Eye injury
- Fracture
- Head trauma
- Other similar acute traumatic injuries
- Tendon tear
Aerodigestive Disorders
- Asthma
- Chronic cough syndrome
- Chronic laryngitis
- Chronic nasopharyngitis
- Chronic respiratory disorder due to fumes/vapors
- Chronic rhinosinusitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)
- Interstitial lung diseases
- Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)
- Sleep apnea exacerbated by or related to another condition in the list of aerodigestive disorders
- Upper airway hyperreactivity
- WTC-exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Cancers
- Childhood Cancers
- Blood and Lymphoid Tissue
- Digestive System
- Eye and Orbit
- Female Breast
- Female Reproductive Organs
- Head and Neck
- Respiratory System
- Skin (Melanoma and non-Melanoma)Soft Tissue
- Thyroid
- Urinary System
- Mesothelioma
- Rare Cancers
Below are the cancers covered by the WTC Health Program and included on the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions. The covered cancers are organized into the following categories:
Note: The information on this page reflects the language found in the Federal laws and regulations that govern the WTC Health Program. It has been formatted for viewing on the Web and organized alphabetically for ease of use. If you are interested in seeing the laws and regulations in their original format, this and other information on the WTC Health Program can be found on the WTC Health Program's
Laws,
Regulations, and
Required Supporting Documentation pages.
Childhood Cancers
Any type of cancer diagnosed in a person less than 20 years of age.
Malignant Neoplasms
Blood and Lymphoid Tissue (including, but not limited to, lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma)
Diffuse non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Burkitt's tumor
- Diffuse non-Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified
- lmmunoblastic (diffuse)
- Large cell (diffuse)
- Lymphoblastic (diffuse)
- Mixed small and large cell (diffuse)
- Other types of diffuse non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Small cell (diffuse)
- Small cleaved cell (diffuse)
- Undifferentiated (diffuse)
Follicular (nodular) non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified
- Large cell, follicular
- Mixed small cleaved and large cell, follicular
- Other types of follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Small cleaved cell, follicular
Hodgkin's disease
- Hodgkin's disease, unspecified
- Lymphocytic depletion
- Lymphocytic predominance
- Mixed cellularity
- Nodular sclerosis
- Other Hodgkin's disease
Leukemia of unspecified cell type
- Acute leukemia of unspecified cell type
- Chronic leukemia of unspecified cell type
- Leukemia, unspecified
- Other leukemia of unspecified cell type
- Subacute leukemia of unspecified cell type
Lymphoid leukemia
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- Adult T-cell leukemia
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- Hairy-cell leukemia
- Lymphoid leukemia, unspecified
- Other lymphoid leukemia
- Prolymphocytic leukemia
- Subacute lymphocytic leukemia
Malignant immunoproliferative diseases
- Alpha heavy chain disease
- Gamma heavy chain disease
- lmmunoproliferative small intestinal disease
- Malignant immunoproliferative disease, unspecified
- Other malignant immunoproliferative diseases
- Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
Monocytic leukemia
- Acute monocytic leukemia
- Chronic monocytic leukemia
- Monocytic leukemia, unspecified
- Other monocytic leukemia
- Subacute monocytic leukemia
Multiple myeloma and malignant plasma cell neoplasms
- Multiple myeloma
- Plasma cell leukemia
- Plasmacytoma, extramedullary
Myeloid leukemia
- Acute myeloid leukemia
- Acute myelomonocytic leukemia
- Acute promyelocytic leukemia
- Chronic myeloid leukemia
- Myeloid leukemia, other
- Myeloid leukemia, unspecified
- Myeloid sarcoma
- Subacute myeloid leukemia
Other and unspecified lymphoid, hematopoietic, and related tissue
- Letterer-Siwe disease
- Lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue, other specified
- Lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue, unspecified
- Malignant histiocytosis
- Malignant mast cell tumor
- True histiocytic lymphoma
Other and unspecified types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- B-cell lymphoma, unspecified
- Lymphosarcoma
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, other unspecified
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified type
Other leukemias of specified cell type
- Acute erythremia and erythroleukemia
- Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia
- Acute myelofibrosis
- Acute pan myelosis
- Chronic erythremia
- Leukemias, others specified
- Mast cell leukemia
Peripheral and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
- Lymphoepithelioid lymphoma
- Mycosis fungoides
- Peripheral T-cell lymphomas
- Sezary's disease
- T-cell lymphomas, other and unspecified
- T-zone lymphoma
Digestive System
- Colon
- Appendix
- Ascending colon
- Caecum
- Colon, unspecified
- Descending colon
- Hepatic flexure
- Overlapping lesion of colon
- Sigmoid colon
- Splenic flexure
- Transverse colon
- Esophagus
- Abdominal part Cervical part
- Esophagus, unspecified
- Lower third
- Middle third
- Overlapping lesion
- Thoracic part
- Upper third
- Liver and intrahepatic bile ducts
- Angiosarcoma of liver
- Hepatoblastoma
- Intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma
- Liver, unspecified
- Liver cell carcinoma
- Other sarcomas of liver
- Other specified carcinomas of liver
- Other and ill-defined digestive organs
- Ill-defined sites within the digestive system
- Intestinal tract, part unspecified
- Overlapping lesion of digestive system
- Rectosignoid junction
- Rectum
- Retroperitoneum and peritoneum
- Overlapping lesion
- Peritoneum, unspecified
- Retroperitoneum
- Specified parts of peritoneum
- Stomach
- Body Cardia
- Fundus
- Greater curvature, unspecified
- Lesser curvature, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Pyloric antrum
- Pylorus
- Stomach, unspecified
Eye and Orbit
- Eye and Adnexa
- Choroid
- Ciliary body
- Conjunctiva
- Cornea
- Eye, unspecified
- Lacrimal gland and duct
- Orbit
- Overlapping lesion
- Retina
Female Breast
- Breast
- Auxiliary tail Breast, unspecified
- Central portion
- Lower-inner quadrant
- Lower-outer quadrant
- Nipple and areola
- Overlapping lesion
- Upper-inner quadrant
- Upper-outer quadrant
Female Reproductive Organs
- Ovary
Head and Neck
- Accessory sinuses
- Accessory, unspecified
- Ethmoidal
- Frontal
- Maxillary
- Overlapping lesion
- Sphenoidal
- Base of tongue
- Floor of mouth
- Anterior Floor, unspecified
- Lateral
- Overlapping lesion
- Gum
- Gum, unspecified
- Lower
- Upper
- Hypopharynx
- Aryepiglottic fold, hypopharyngeal aspect
- Hypopharynx, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Postcricoid region
- Posterior wall
- Larynx
- Glottis
- Laryngeal cartilage
- Larynx, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Subglottis
- Supraglottis
- Lip
- Commissure
- External lip, unspecified
- External lower lip
- External upper lip
- Lip, unspecified
- Lip, unspecified, inner aspect
- Lower lip, inner aspect
- Overlapping lesion
- Upper lip, inner aspect
- Nasal cavity
- Nasopharynx
- Anterior wall
- Lateral wall
- Nasopharynx, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Posterior wall
- Superior wall
- Other and ill-defined conditions in the lip, oral cavity, and pharynx
- Overlapping lesion of lip, oral cavity, and pharynx
- Pharynx, unspecified
- Waldeyer's ring
- Other and unspecified major salivary glands
- Major salivary gland, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Sublingual gland
- Submandibular gland
- Other and unspecified part of the mouth
- Cheek mucosa
- Mouth, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Retromolar area
- Vestibule
- Other and unspecified parts of the tongue
- Anterior two-thirds, part unspecified
- Border
- Dorsal surface
- Lingual tonsil
- Overlapping lesion
- Tongue, unspecified
- Ventral surface
- Oropharynx
- Anterior surface of epiglottis
- Branchial cleft
- Lateral wall
- Oropharynx, unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Posterior wall
- Vallecula
- Palate
- Hard palate Overlapping lesion
- Palate, unspecified
- Soft palate
- Uvula
- Parotid gland
- Piriform sinus
- Tonsil
- Overlapping lesion
- Tonsil, unspecified
- Tonsillar fossa
- Tonsillar pillar (anterior/posterior)
Respiratory System
- Bronchus and lung
- Bronchus or lung, unspecified
- Lower lobe, bronchus or lung
- Main bronchus
- Middle lobe, bronchus or lung
- Overlapping lesion
- Upper lobe, bronchus or lung
- Heart, mediastinum, and pleura
- Anterior mediastinum
- Heart
- Mediastinum, part unspecified
- Overlapping lesion
- Pleura
- Posterior mediastinum
- Other and ill-defined sites in the respiratory system and intrathoracic organs
- Ill-defined sites within the respiratory system
- Overlapping lesion
- Upper respiratory tract, part unspecified
- Trachea
Skin (Melanoma and non-Melanoma)
- Malignant melanoma of skin
- Ear and external auricular canal
- Eyelid, including canthus
- Lip
- Lower limb, including hip
- Other and unspecified parts of face
- Overlapping malignant melanoma of skin
- Scalp and neck
- Skin, unspecified
- Trunk
- Upper limb, including shoulder
- Other malignant neoplasms of skin
- Ear and external auricular canal
- Eyelid, including canthus
- Lip
- Lower limb, including hip
- Other and unspecified parts of face
- Overlapping lesion
- Scalp and neck
- Skin, unspecified
- Trunk
- Upper limb, including shoulder
- Scrotum
Soft Tissue
- Other connective and soft tissue
- Abdomen
- Head, face, and neck
- Lower limb, including hip
- Overlapping lesion
- Pelvis
- Thorax
- Trunk, unspecified
- Unspecified
- Upper limb, including shoulder
- Peripheral nerves and autonomic nervous system
- Abdomen
- Head, face, and neck
- Lower limb, including hip
- Overlapping lesion
- Pelvis
- Thorax
- Trunk, unspecified
- Unspecified
- Upper limb, including shoulder
Thyroid
- Thyroid gland
Urinary System
- Bladder
- Anterior wall Bladder neck
- Bladder, unspecified
- Dome
- Lateral wall
- Overlapping lesion
- Posterior wall
- Trigone
- Urachus
- Ureteric orifice
- Kidney
- Other and unspecified urinary organs
- Overlapping lesion
- Paraurethral gland
- Urethra
- Urinary organ, unspecified
- Prostate
- Renal pelvis
- Ureter
Mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma
- Other sites
- Pericardium
- Peritoneum
- Pleura
- Unspecified
Rare Cancers
Any type of cancer that occurs in less than 15 cases per 100,000 persons per year (called the "incidence rate") based on data from 2005-2009 as referenced in Copeland et al., Cancer in North America: 2005-2009 average annual data, are considered rare cancers. These cancers are eligible for certification by the WTC Health Program. Below are cancer types that have been determined to meet the threshold incidence rate for rare cancers. However, this compilation is not exhaustive. Other types of cancer which meet the definition of a rare cancer for the WTC Health Program, but which are not on the List or identified below, may also be considered for certification. Every cancer submitted for certification which is not individually identified in the above list is reviewed by the WTC Health Program to assess if it meets the definition of a rare cancer.
Therefore, for the purposes of the WTC Health Program, the Administrator has determined that the category “Rare Cancers” includes, but is not limited to, the following types of cancer:
- Malignant neoplasms of the—
- adrenal gland and other endocrine glands and related structures
- anus and anal canal
- bone and articular cartilage
- breast among men
- gallbladder and other parts of biliary tract
- meninges, brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, and other parts of central nervous system
- pancreas
- penis and testis
- placenta
- small intestine
- thymus
- vulva, vagina, and cervix uteri (invasive only)
- Malignant neuroendocrine neoplasm, including carcinoid tumors
- Myeloid neoplasms, including myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms, and myeloid malignancies associated with eosinophilia and abnormalities of growth factor receptors derived from platelets or fibroblasts
The WTC Health Program has developed a
Policy and Procedure document for Rare Cancers that defines the list above. If you would like more information on Rare Cancers, please refer to the Policy and Procedure document.
Mental Health Conditions
- Acute stress disorder
- Adjustment disorder
- Anxiety disorder (not otherwise specified)
- Depression (not otherwise specified)
- Dysthymic disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Major depressive disorder
- Panic disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance abuse
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Note: Only WTC Responders are eligible to be certified in the WTC Health Program for musculoskelatal disorders. The disorder must be related to your 9/11 work and you must have proof that you received medical care for the injury before September 11, 2003.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)
- Low back pain
- Other musculoskeletal disorders
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