dojN002150.xml

dojN002150.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-01-20

Sunday January 20, 2002 11:54 PM
inequities in compensation formula


I am writing on behalf of parents of a World Trade Center victim who are being grossly shortchanged on both the economic and the non-economic parts of the Victims Compensation Fund, as well as other aspects of the regulations.
- Basing compensation on the last three years of a victim's salary is unfair in that it does not take in to account the potential for a young person (and this victim was young) to earn a good deal more over time as his work experience accumulates and he achieves graduate degrees beyond the college education he had.

- The non-economic award is also grossly unfair because we know the victim suffered tremendous pain for a very long time. He was last seen on the Floor, Tower Two, going back to do work, and called his mother at home saying that he was okay and had to
work. We know the victim was trapped for a long time, and Special Master Feinburg still insists that the pain and suffering award is fair, when what he wants
to give is one-tenth the amount under similar circumstances of terrorist attacks.

- It is also unfair that the fund categorizes  "dependents" as only spouse and children. The victim  was his parents' only son and according to Asian  tradition responsible for his parents even though he  did not claim them as dependents on his tax return.
 As with many immigrant families, he lived with and  supported his retired parents and was their primary caregiver and constant companion.  Besides dealing with their grief
and struggling to survive every day without him, his parents are faced with a system which does not recognize them.

- In addition, there should be no collateral  payment deductions of any kind from the award. That would make the fund highly unfair.
 - Also, it is absolutely wrong that the victims family must sign away their rights upon filing as
claimants when they do not know what their award will be. There should be a fair hearing of each victims  family, because individual circumstances are different.

 The victim was a true American who deserves much better than what the Fund is offering.

Thank you for taking this into consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Individual Comment
Brooklyn, New York

2002-01-20