Judge Alvin Hellerstein,a U.S District Judge in New York had approved a settlement for the 9/11 responders.

Prior to the approval of the said settlement, Judge Hellerstein, had listened to testimony from a sampling of some of the 10,000 plaintiffs at the hearing regarding the health battles that had beset the respondents ever since working at the World Trade Center site.

This said settlement was duly approved Wednesday that could pay $700 million to the first responders that were exposed to toxic dust at the remains of thw WTC ground zero.

“I intend to approve this settlement, and I now do so as a fair, adequate and reasonable settlement reflecting hard work and a concern for fairness by all parties.It is fair in amount and fair in procedures,” Hellerstein said

Plaintiffs will be thyen enrolled in an insurance policy through MetLife that will pay up to $100,000 for specific blood and respiratory cancers diagnosed within the coverage period.

The settlement raises the total compensation for sick first responders from $625 million proposed in the March 11 settlement to $712 million and caps attorney fees to 25 percent of the total settlement.

Moreover, people that have been contracted with severe respiratory issues within seven months since exposure at ground zero or from within World Trade vicinity could receive between $800,000 to $1.05 million.

Respondents that are not suffering from a qualifying injury,that do have a legal claim of health risk associated with the exposure will receive $3,250.Death claims justified
to be caused by post 9/11 operations could receive $1.5 million in compensation.

President and CEO of WTC Captive organization, Christine LaSala said, “This settlement provides plaintiffs with closure and certainty, while also reserving some funds for future claims.We believe it is the best path forward for these plaintiffs, as their only other option right now is to proceed to lengthy and costly litigation with an uncertain outcome.”

For the settlement to be finalized, it needs ninety-five percent of plaintiffs to agree. They will have until September 8 to review the settlement and decide if they will participate.

Attorney Marc Bern, who helps represent victims, is confident the settlement will get 95 percent approval.

“Once I have an opportunity to send out letters letting everyone know how much they’re getting precisely, I think that we’re going to get very close to 100 percent.” Bern said.

He added that after the settlement is finaliized the first payouts will most likely be made by November.