New York City’s Position on World Trade Center Disaster Litigation by Michael Block, Esq, Manhattan Lawyer

Leading New York attorney, Michael Block, Esq. a New York fire fighter litigation lawyer from the law firm of – Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo P.C. says that New York City’s position is an insult to the men and women who got the job done during the time when we all needed them most. Manhattan, New York (NewYorkInjuryNews.com-Press Report) — New York City has taken the position that the City and the contractors who were in charge of the clean-up are immune to lawsuits filed by workers that claimed that they’ve contracted respiratory illnesses during the cleanup at the World Trade Center site. They claim that laws enacted during the height of the cold war with the Soviet Union give them absolute protection against liability claims, amongst other claims of immunity.That position is an insult to the men and women who got the job done during the time when we all needed them most.

Although the United States District Court assigned to this case wanted to let pre-trial proceedings get underway, the City and the contractors obtained a stay of all litigation from an appeals court until it rules on their claim that they have absolute governmental immunity.

What is most frustrating is that the City is holding captive a $1 billion insurance fund that was established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as liability protection for the city. Amazingly, the city has not settled any claims for any of the workers. Instead, this money is being used to pay attorney fees to lawyers for the city and its contractors who still deny that there might be a connection between the lung damage and the other diseases that so many of the workers are now suffering from after having been exposed to so many toxins while working at ground zero.

The City continues to talk out of two sides of its mouth: In the courtroom, it argues that the Fund was not intended to be a pile of money waiting to be distributed to the workers. In front of the media, the City spins things to create an impression that it has only the victims and the health of our citizens in mind.

Contributor: Michael Block, Esq. – New York Fire Fighter Litigation Attorney – Mr. Block has been general counsel to the Uniformed Firefighters Association, the 8,000 plus member labor union representing New York City firefighters