The Brooklyn Ink

More than 10,000 workers who sued New York City because of health damages suffered while working in the 9/11 rescue approved a settlement today, according to The New York Times.  The settlement amounts to $625 million and was approved by more than 95 percent of the workers.  The deadline for accepting or rejecting the settlement was this past Tuesday night.

In a statement, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the settlement was fair and protected those who came to the aid of the city when it needed it most.

Those who sued the city included police officers, firefighters and other workers.  They claimed that the city failed to provide them with adequate protective equipment during the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, which led to respiratory and other illnesses that they suffered from later on.  Lawyers estimate that the payments to individuals will range from $3,250 to $1.8 million or more for the most severe injuries.