9/11 Prostate Cancer Claims

In the years following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, doctors in New York and across the country began noticing a connection between men who worked as first responders at the site and prostate cancer.

Mount Sinai health researchers eventually discovered that exposure to dust and toxic chemicals caused some men to develop chronic inflammation of the prostate. Unfortunately, chronic inflammation is one of the first indications of prostate cancer.

Could your prostate cancer be the result of toxic dust and other chemical exposure at the WTC? Cannata, Hendele & Cannata can help you find out.

We have over 100 years of combined experience representing personal injury clients in New York City, Manhattan, and the surrounding boroughs.

We are leaders in helping first responders and other victims of 9/11-related illnesses obtain compensation for their injuries.

Please call 1-888-982-8428 today to request your free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.

Understanding the link between World Trade Center dust & 9/11 prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a common health condition among American men.

It’s so common that the National Cancer Institute estimates that 20 percent of all men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis ranging from mild to life-threatening in his lifetime.

While the treatment and recovery rates for prostate cancer both continue to improve, it’s still the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men. Only lung cancer takes more lives.

A recent study by an organization called Molecular Cancer Research demonstrated evidence of an inflammatory cascade in men who worked as first responders near the site of Ground Zero.

Although these effects sometimes didn’t show up until years later, the team of researchers could make a positive correlation between the toxic carcinogen exposure and prostate cancer cases.

If you’re concerned about your risk of prostate cancer or have received a cancer diagnosis, we urge you to contact us right away to learn more about potential compensation.

Our team of attorneys representing World Trade Center first responders and others near Ground Zero will assist you in securing the necessary medical documentation, submitting the forms to apply for the World Trade Center Health Program, and other documentation to determine eligibility and apply for compensation from the WTC Victim Relief Fund.

How inflammation can lead to prostate cancer

It’s normal for the human body to have some level of inflammation. For example, your skin bleeds becomes swollen and turns red after you cut yourself.

This might look like a bad thing, but it’s actually your body’s way of healing the cut. The inflammation helps to prevent infection and fight off bacteria.

In some situations, the inflammation present in the body to help protect it creates an increased risk of prostate cancer or allows you to develop prostate cancer.

Doctors have noted over the years that younger men exposed to WTC dust developed prostate cancer earlier in life and had more aggressive prostate cancer.

Regardless of the staging of your prostate cancer, the good news is that people who inhaled WTC dust and developed it have similar recovery rates to other men with the same condition.

Like most cancers, your outcome improves the earlier you receive a prostate cancer diagnosis.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Your prostate is a small gland that is part of your reproductive system. It is similar in size and shape to a walnut. As men age, it’s common for their prostate to grow larger and cause urinary infections, an inflammatory response, and other issues that require medical attention. The prostate can also grow larger when infection or tumor is present.

You face an increased risk of prostate cancer just by growing older. All men, regardless of age, should understand the most common symptoms associated with it. These include:

• The need to urinate more often during the day
• The need to get up more often at night to use the bathroom or needing to get up at night for the first time
• Feeling a burning sensation when you urinate
• Reduced urine output
• Urgency in needing to pass urine

You could also develop non-cancer symptoms associated with your prostate as well. Prostatitis, which is another term for chronic inflammation, means that you have more inflammation but no cancer diagnosis.

Enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, is another common non-cancerous condition of the prostate. We urge you to visit a doctor at the first sign of prostate changes for evaluation and testing.

Other non-cancerous prostate conditions also respond best to early intervention and treatment.

Eligibility for a VCF prostate cancer award

Originally established in 2003, the World Trade Center Victim Compensation Fund underwent a renewal process in 2010, 2015, and 2019.

It now has enough funds and the authority to operate until 2090. The qualifications have changed from primarily respiratory diseases to now include more than 75 types of cancer.

To be eligible for a VCF payout for prostate cancer the main eligibility criteria for the fund is that you were present on Canal Street as a first responder or in another capacity between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002, and developed an injury or illness because of it.

You did not have to be present at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, or site of the Shanksville, Pennsylvania plane crash on September 11 to qualify for a VCF prostate cancer award.

These are the four locations that are an exception to the rule:

• City morgue where first responders transported bodies of the immediate victims of the terrorist attack
• Staten Island landfills where people involved in the clean-up effort delivered toxic debris
• Barges along nearby rivers that also received WTC dust and toxic debris
• Locations where firefighters cleaned their trucks

If you were at one of these locations and later developed prostate cancer, you must be able to submit proof that you were physically present on September 11, 2001.

How is a VCF payout for prostate cancer compensation calculated?

While every individual’s claim is different depending on their unique circumstances, there is a standard formula used for everyone who has an eligible prostate cancer claim.

The VCF payout for prostate cancer is generally as follows: Non-Economic Losses + Economic Losses – Collateral Offsets = VCF Prostate Cancer Award Amount.

‍The 9/11 victim compensation fund formula looks straightforward, but in reality, filing for a claim is a very complex process.

The actual series of calculations are several pages in length, and approvals aren’t automatic.

However, an experienced 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund attorney can guide clients you this intricate process to increase the chances that your prostate cancer claim will be granted a VCF award and most importantly, obtain the maximum amount of compensation.

Enrolling in the World Trade Center Health Program & registering for the Victim Compensation Fund

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the WTC Health Program provides treatment and medical monitoring for anyone with a 9/11-related illness or injury.

We need to register you for the program first before applying for compensation from the VCF. Program administrators determine the amount of time you faced exposure to carcinogens, toxic dust, and other harmful chemicals based on a complex internal model.

Then you must also receive certification for your illness or injury from the WTC Health Program, which we can help you with.

The VCF is a separate entity. Under President Trump’s most recent reauthorization, we need to submit your forms and apply by July 29, 2021, and make your claim any time before 2090.

Many clients with mild to aggressive prostate cancer find the process complicated and overwhelming.

That’s when working with one of the most respected VCF law firms in the 9/11 community truly works in your favor.

Discuss your 9/11-related prostate cancer claim with a VCF lawyer today

Whether you’re looking for general information about VCF prostate cancer awards or would like us to fill out the forms and apply to the WTC Health Program or VCF for you, Cannata, Hendele & Cannata is here to help.

We will assist you in determining program eligibility and continue to work with you throughout the process of your prostate cancer 911 claim.

Please call us today at 1-888-982-8428 to learn more today.