9/11 VCF Compensation: How Much Awards Pay and What Is Covered
How much does the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund pay?
Non-economic loss typically ranges from $10,000 to $20,000 for less severe aerodigestive conditions and up to $90,000 for more severe conditions like lung disease and non-melanoma skin cancers. Awards reach $250,000 for most solid cancers and melanoma, $300,000 for certain combinations of multiple cancers, and up to $340,000 for certain combinations of multiple cancers or a cancer combined with severe lung disease. Wrongful death compensation is available in fatal cases.
Key Takeaways
- Award Range: $10,000 to $340,000 in non-economic loss, potentially more for economic and other losses.
- Most Common Cancer Award: $250,000 typical for most solid cancers and melanoma.
- Economic Loss: Lost earnings and benefits, compensated separately and can exceed the non-economic figure.
- Wrongful Death: Available in fatal cases in addition to non-economic and economic loss.
- Offsets Apply: Workers' compensation, disability, and (in fatal cases) life insurance and other payments may reduce the award.
- No Upfront Cost: Attorney fees are capped at 10% by federal statute.
9/11 VCF Payout Chart
The chart below shows the non-economic loss ranges the VCF applies to each certified condition, along with the evidence the VCF generally looks for at each tier. The $250,000 single-cancer and $90,000 single non-cancer maximums are caps set by the Zadroga Act. Amounts within and above them are set by VCF policy, which the VCF revises over time. Economic loss is calculated separately and in addition.
Personal Injury Payout Amounts by Condition
| Conditions | Award range | Key notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mental health conditions | $0 | Only physical conditions are eligible for VCF compensation, regardless of severity. The WTC Health Program covers mental health treatment for certified conditions. |
| Conditions the WTC Health Program has not certified, and future medical expenses | $0 | The VCF compensates certified physical conditions only. Past out-of-pocket medical expenses may be claimed once the initial award is determined, but future medical costs are not compensable. |
| Non-cancer aerodigestive conditions (asthma, GERD, rhinosinusitis, chronic cough syndrome, excluding emphysema and interstitial lung disease) | $10,000 to $20,000†; up to $90,000 if severe | Lower end of range where impairment is mild or the condition is reasonably well controlled by over-the-counter medication. An increase requires recent medical records, meaning records dated within three years of claim submission, and where relevant impact statements or appeal testimony showing significant effect on activities of daily living. |
| Acute traumatic injuries and musculoskeletal disorders | $10,000 to $90,000† | Eligible for responders only. |
| Emphysema and interstitial lung disease (including asbestosis and sarcoidosis) | $90,000 | Identified by the Special Master as presumptively severe and debilitating. Awarded at the full $90,000 on certification alone, without any further documentation, impact statement, or severity showing. |
| Non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell, squamous cell) | $90,000 | Applies even when both types are eligible, or the same type is eligible at multiple sites. The award generally still falls in the $90,000 range rather than increasing per additional type or site. |
| Prostate cancer | $200,000 to $250,000 | The presumptive award is $200,000. An increase to $250,000 requires medical records showing recurrence or metastasis, or long-term complications such as incontinence or erectile dysfunction continuing more than two years after the last date of treatment, supported by a detailed sworn impact statement. |
| Other covered cancers not separately addressed above, including melanoma, mesothelioma, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, breast, thyroid, uterine, ovarian, bladder, kidney, lung and bronchus, colon, esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and more | $250,000 | Reflects the general cancer maximum rather than a condition-specific published figure. |
| Multiple certified cancers, or a certified cancer plus a severe non-cancer condition | $300,000† to $340,000 | Multiple conditions may be considered for an aggregate award above $250,000, to a maximum of $340,000 under current VCF policy guidelines. Combinations consisting solely of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are excluded. |
| Severe interstitial lung disease, COPD, or other pulmonary illness requiring lung transplant or significant daily mechanical respiratory assistance‡ | Up to $250,000 single condition; up to $340,000 combined with a cancer | Rarely awarded. Non-cancer claims only. Issued on initial award or via appeal or amendment. Requires lung transplant operative report, hospital admission and discharge summary, and recent pulmonary exam records if transplant-based. |
- † Based on Baione Law's experience with VCF awards. Not a figure published by the VCF.
- ‡ VCF Policies & Procedures Section 2.1(b), the Special Master's authority to award above the statutory caps in special circumstances.
Award figures are drawn from VCF Policies & Procedures Section 2.1(a), effective August 19, 2026, except where marked.
Wrongful Death Payout Amounts
| Component | Presumed amount | Key notes |
|---|---|---|
| Decedent (presumed non-economic loss for death) | $250,000 | Paid in addition to, not instead of, any personal injury award for pain and suffering in life for the same decedent. |
| Surviving spouse | Additional $100,000 | Spouse identified by the victim's federal tax return. |
| Each dependent of the decedent | Additional $100,000 per dependent | The spouse and dependent figures include a non-economic component of replacement services loss. |
| Personal injury component of a deceased claim | Same condition-based ranges as the table above | Calculated separately from, and paid in addition to, the presumed amounts above. Because a deceased claim includes both, its total non-economic loss is generally higher than the same condition alone would yield for a living claimant. |
Figures are drawn from VCF Policies & Procedures Section 2.1(a), effective August 19, 2026.
Our chart shows the ranges. It cannot tell you where your own conditions fall. Estimate your own non-economic loss award with our free calculator. Economic loss is calculated separately and is not included in that estimate.
Who is geographically eligible for VCF compensation?
VCF compensation requires presence in the NYC Exposure Zone, at the Pentagon, or in Shanksville during that location's covered period. The NYC Exposure Zone covers Manhattan south of Canal Street, plus routes of debris removal including barges and the Fresh Kills Landfill. The New York covered period ran from September 11, 2001 through May 30, 2002.
The WTC Health Program uses a broader geography for free medical care, reaching north to Houston Street and into nearby Brooklyn, and its New York covered period ran through July 31, 2002. Presence that qualifies you for care does not automatically qualify you for compensation.
If you were between Canal and Houston Street, you may still qualify for both. Presence can be established with employment records, school records, leases, utility bills, pay stubs, or sworn affidavits.
What the VCF Compensates
Non-Economic Loss (Pain and Suffering)
Compensation for the physical and emotional impact of a certified condition on the claimant's life. The VCF Act defines non-economic loss as losses for physical and emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, mental anguish, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of society and companionship, loss of consortium, hedonic damages, injury to reputation, and all other non-pecuniary losses.
Non-economic loss is based on the severity of the condition and its effect on activities of daily living. The award is not increased simply by having more conditions — a single severe condition may result in a higher award than multiple mild ones.
Want a personalized estimate based on your conditions? Try our free VCF payout calculator →
Lost Earnings and Benefits
Compensation for earnings and employment benefits lost as a result of a certified condition causing occupational disability. Requires demonstration of occupational disability, generally established through a determination by the Social Security Administration, Workers Compensation, FDNY, NYPD, or NYCERS. Past lost earnings and future lost earnings from the date of filing may both be compensable.
Replacement Services Loss
Compensation for the loss of household services the claimant previously performed but can no longer perform due to a certified condition. Three pathways apply, each with its own calculation method.
Pathway 1 — Standard Household Services
- Applies when the certified condition permanently interferes with the ability to perform household services
- Award calculated using VCF tables based on the claimant's age and number and age of dependent children
- Available for both personal injury and deceased claims
Pathway 2 — Household Member with Special Needs
- Applies when the claimant was the primary caregiver for a household member with a severe physical or mental health condition requiring help with daily activities
- The VCF awards $150,000 per qualifying special needs household member
- Requires extensive documentation of the household member's severe special needs — an IEP alone is not sufficient
Pathway 3 — Basic Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Exception
- Applies when the certified condition interferes with the claimant's ability to perform basic activities of daily living such as eating and bathing
- Requires medical records demonstrating the inability to perform basic ADLs
Past Out-of-Pocket Medical Expenses
Compensation for qualifying past medical expenses paid out of pocket in connection with a certified condition. The VCF will only review if the total amount exceeds $5,000. Expenses reimbursed by insurance, the WTC Health Program, or other sources cannot be claimed. The VCF requires extensive documentation of the medical service and proof of payment, and it can only be submitted for review on Personal Injury claims after the initial claim for pain and suffering has been determined.
Burial and Memorial Service Expenses
Deceased claims onlyDeceased claims only. Documented out-of-pocket burial or memorial service expenses for victims who died as a result of an eligible 9/11-related physical condition. Calculated case by case based on documentation submitted by the Personal Representative. Expenses covered by life insurance or another source cannot be claimed. Must be submitted with the initial claim.
What Reduces the Award
VCF awards are reduced by collateral source payments — benefits the claimant received from other sources for the same losses. The most significant offsets are:
- Workers compensation payments and settlements
- Disability benefits from government programs
- Social Security disability or retirement benefits received as a result of the certified condition
- Death benefits, life insurance proceeds, and Social Security survivor benefits (for wrongful death claims)
Collateral source offsets are calculated separately for each loss category. Workers compensation and disability benefits generally offset lost earnings. Life insurance and death benefits offset wrongful death non-economic loss.
Wrongful Death Claims
A Personal Representative appointed by a court may file a wrongful death claim on behalf of someone who died from a 9/11-related physical condition. Wrongful death compensation includes non-economic loss for the victim and presumed amounts for the spouse and each dependent. Wrongful death awards are subject to offsets for death benefits, life insurance proceeds payable to beneficiaries, and Social Security survivor benefits. Past out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred before death and past and future lost earnings may also be included.
How Payment Works
Payment structure
VCF awards are paid as a lump sum following acceptance of the award by the claimant or Personal Representative. There is no installment payment option.
Taxation
Payment is not taxable as income for federal income tax purposes. Consult a qualified accountant regarding state-level tax treatment.
Attorney fees
Attorney fees for VCF representation are capped by the Zadroga Act at 10% of the amount recovered in the claim.
Registration and Filing Deadlines
Filing a VCF claim requires two steps: registration and claim submission. Registration must be completed by the claimant's individual deadline, which is generally two years from the date the WTC Health Program first certified a condition. Missing the registration deadline may forfeit the right to file. The claim submission deadline is October 1, 2090.
Full deadline framework →The compensation available to you depends on your certified conditions, your work history, and the specific losses you have experienced. No public resource can tell you what your claim is worth. A case review with an attorney experienced in VCF claims can.
Common Questions
Every award is calculated individually based on your certified conditions, their severity, your documented disability, and your earnings history. The VCF publishes a non-economic loss chart and general award information at vcf.gov. Individual outcomes vary. An attorney experienced in VCF claims can provide a more specific assessment based on your circumstances.
No. Filing or receiving a VCF award does not affect WTC Health Program enrollment or coverage.
Yes. If the WTC Health Program certifies a new condition after you file, you can amend your claim to include it. New certifications for physical health conditions generally trigger a new two-year registration window if a previous registration deadline was missed.
VCF compensation is excluded from federal gross income under the Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act. A qualified accountant can advise on state-level taxation.
Filing a VCF claim requires dismissing or waiving certain civil lawsuits related to your 9/11-related conditions before varying deadlines. Lawsuits against terrorists or their supporters, including those filed under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, and lawsuits to recover collateral source obligations such as insurance proceeds or workers compensation awards, are not prohibited. Whether any pending litigation affects your ability to file should be assessed by an attorney before you file your claim.
Registration should be completed as soon as possible to preserve the filing right.
No. The VCF compensates physical conditions only. Mental health conditions are not eligible for VCF compensation, regardless of how severe they are or how clearly they trace to 9/11.
The WTC Health Program is different. It does cover mental health treatment, including PTSD, at no cost to certified members. So the same condition that cannot produce a VCF award can still get you fully covered care.
One nuance matters for economic loss. If you are disabled by both a certified physical condition and a mental health condition, the VCF needs documentation that separates the two, because it can only compensate the portion of your disability caused by the eligible physical condition.
Not automatically. The VCF is explicit that the award is not tied to the number of certified conditions. A claimant with one severe condition can receive more than a claimant with several mild ones.
Where multiple conditions do increase the award is at the combination tier. Multiple certified cancers, or a certified cancer alongside a severe non-cancer condition, can support an aggregate award above $250,000, up to $340,000 under current VCF policy guidelines.
Combinations consisting only of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are excluded from that tier. Two non-melanoma skin cancers, or one certified at multiple sites, generally still fall in the $90,000 range.
If the WTC Health Program has certified your condition, no further documentation is required, but the VCF will generally award at the lowest end of the range for that condition based on the certification alone.
To support an increase within the range, the VCF looks for recent medical records, meaning records dated within three years of your claim submission, showing the severity of the condition and its effect on your activities of daily living. Impact statements and appeal testimony can support that showing.
Some conditions are treated as presumptively severe and receive the highest allowable non-cancer award without additional records. Emphysema, interstitial lung disease including asbestosis, and sarcoidosis fall in this group.
If you submit more than 25 pages of medical records without highlighting the relevant portions or providing a written guide, the VCF will not review them and will award the lowest end of the range.
September 3, 2026 · Based on VCF Policies & Procedures (eligibility effective July 10, 2026; loss calculation effective August 19, 2026), except figures marked as drawn from our claim experience. Figures and deadlines may change — confirm the details that apply to your claim.
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