How Long Does it Take to Receive My Payout from the VCF?

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) takes at least 17 months to decide a claim and make an award. This 17-month wait for a decision is after a fully completed claim is submitted, including the certification letter issued by the World Trade Center Health Program. In addition, if a claim is not fully submitted correctly, the VCF will likely either simply deny the claim and award no compensation or there will be lengthy delays (in some cases, many years) before a claim is decided. 

The process of filing a claim can be complicated and the timeline for receiving a payout can be lengthy. There are many steps in the process, and how long it takes to receive your payout from the 9/11 VCF can depend on several factors, starting with the successful filing of your 9/11 VCF claim. It is vitally important that a claim be submitted with all required documents and affidavits in the correct and sufficient form, to avoid an outright denial or a never-ending claim process. 

Submitting Your 9/11 VCF Claim

The first step in filing a 9/11 VCF claim is to register with the VCF by the appropriate deadline. Registration is different from filing a claim. Next, you must get your physical health condition certified by the WTCHP before completing the necessary paperwork and submitting it to the VCF. This paperwork includes the VCF Claim Form and supporting documentation, such as medical records, employment records, and proof of your presence at one of the 9/11 crash sites on September 11, 2001, or the months that followed. 

To submit your claim online, you must first create an account on the VCF website. After you have created your account, you can fill out the VCF Claim Form online and upload all of your supporting documents.

The VCF Claim Processing Timeline

The current timeline for processing VCF claims as of April 2023 is as follows:

• Claims submitted prior to December 2021 are currently receiving award decisions.
• Claims submitted prior to January 2022 are currently in substantive review.
• Claims submitted in January to February-May 2022 will come under substantive review soon.
• Claims submitted prior to June 2022 are in preliminary review. 
  
  

As a general rule, claims are reviewed on a first submitted, first decided basis looking at the date the fully complete compensation claim was submitted. The VCF registration date has no relevance for when the VCF claim is decided. 

Depending on the complexity of the claim, the review process can vary greatly, but all claims involve an eligibility review and a compensation review. The eligibility review starts with a preliminary review confirming receipt of all required documentation. Requests for additional information from certain third parties may be made at this time. The next step is the substantive eligibility review which reviews the claim to determine the victim’s eligibility for compensation, including verifying the information provided, verifying the claim was registered by the appropriate deadline, and validating the Personal or Authorized Representative, if applicable. At this point, if the claim is missing any necessary documentation, the VCF will send a “Missing Information” letter, giving 30 days to respond. After the review is complete, the VCF will render an eligibility decision regarding your claim and contact you with their decision. 

Once eligibility is approved, the claim moves to compensation review. The initial compensation review determines the types of loss being claimed, and if you are claiming economic losses, further information may be requested from third parties regarding your finances. The next step is a complete compensation review and award calculation process called the “Special Master Review.” This involves calculating non-economic and economic losses and confirming collateral offsets. Once the award is calculated, a letter will be sent explaining the breakdown of the award and giving a 30-day deadline to appeal the decision. If no appeal is made, payment is authorized within 20 days and may take up to 3 months to be processed by the Department of Justice and Treasury Department. 

When Will Your Award Decision Come Through?

The VCF is working towards the goal of issuing determinations within one year of submission of the claim form. The VCF, however, has not yet reached this goal it is taking closer to a year and a half to decide on claims. Because each VCF claim is individually reviewed and calculated, some of the more complex claims take significantly longer to complete, and this is particularly true of claims filed for victims who died of a 9/11-related condition. These claims require the submission and review of a substantial amount of information and documentation in order for the award to be calculated.

Once the VCF begins to process your claim, they will contact you (or your attorneys) if they need any additional information. The best way to help speed up the review of your claim is to respond timely to any request. When the VCF has made a decision regarding your claim, they will contact you with an award decision. This award decision will include the amount of money you will receive for your claim, as well as any other terms and conditions associated with the award.

Can My VCF Claim Be Expedited?

In some cases, the VCF may be able to expedite the processing of a claim if there is an urgent need, such as cases involving terminal illness or significant financial hardship such as an imminent or pending foreclosure or eviction proceeding, utility cut-off, or other similar circumstances.  If you have a compelling reason for needing a decision on your claim quickly, you or your attorney can contact the VCF to request an expedited review or consult with an experienced 9/11 attorney to help you with the process. The VCF will review the request and notify you of their decision, typically within 48 hours. The VCF can often process payment in as little as 3-4 weeks for claims that are approved for expedited processing. 

Work with Our Experienced 9/11 Attorneys to File a Claim

The process of filing a 9/11 VCF claim and receiving a payout can be lengthy and complicated. However, if you work with experienced 9/11 attorneys, you can ensure that the process goes as quickly and smoothly as possible. The dedicated 9/11 attorneys at Hansen & Rosasco can help you navigate the claims process and ensure that your claim is handled efficiently and effectively as possible (and also help ensure that your claim is not denied outright). Contact us today to see how we can help.