In re World Trade Center Lower Manhattan Disaster Site Litigation
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
2015 WL 3606032 (2015)

- Written by Catherine Cotovsky, JD
Facts
Eighty-two workers (workers) (plaintiffs) employed in buildings surrounding the World Trade Center during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, filed claims for respiratory and gastrointestinal illness that resulted from working in close proximity to the site of the attacks. The workers were represented by two law firms with considerable experience in mass-tort litigation, including litigation related to the September 11 attacks. The parties conducted discovery and then engaged in settlement negotiations with the help of special masters. The negotiations resulted in an aggregate settlement of over $53 million, to be distributed to the workers in varying amounts based on a comprehensive plan that accounted for the different employment locations, medical conditions, severity of injuries, and health history of each worker. The workers’ attorneys also reduced their negotiated contingent fees from 33 and one-third percent to 25 percent. The parties submitted the settlement agreement and attorney’s fees to the court for approval.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hellerstein, J.)
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