As I mentioned last time, despite the fraud being committed by Christine LaSala and the WTC Captive Insurance Fund there is some good being done in trying to help WTC rescue workers. In the course of my research I have found a New York law firm, Napoli and Bern (http://www.877wtchero.com) that is fighting on behalf of the victims that aren’t being paid and also trying to raise awareness within the Federal government about what Christine LaSala and Captive are doing. They have achieved some success, as on April 1, 2008 the Judiciary Committee in Congress will be holding hearings to investigate why the WTC Captive Insurance Fund has been managed so inefficiently. It is only the beginning of a long fight, but Napoli & Bern are arranging to take rescue workers who haven’t been paid but have had their health affected down to Washington to see the proceedings firsthand. There is some potential that some good might be achieved out of the work that Napoli and Bern are doing.

After all, it is Congress who originally approved the $1 Billion that Christine LaSala and the WTC Captive Insurance Fund is supposed to be using for helping victims and their families. Napoli & Bern seem particularly committed to championing the cause of the WTC rescue workers as most mainstream media has glossed over the story despite so many victims coming down with occupational asthma, emphysema, and cancer among others. It has been estimated that the illnesses of WTC rescue workers have cost $393 Million per year and despite having almost 2 ½ times that amount to work with, Christine LaSala and the WTC Captive Insurance Fund have paid out, as of late last year, only $45,000 to one firefighter who fell off of a ladder. One can only hope that Napoli and Bern can change that. It is a given that the $1 Billion that Christine LaSala has sat on for several years won’t be enough to pay all of the medical expenses incurred by the WTC rescue workers, but hopefully this money can be paid out as soon as possible and that Congress can approve more for these forgotten heroes of the WTC disaster.

Napoli & Bern is also helping to work on the James Zadroga bill, which would ensure that all of those who were exposed to toxins at Ground Zero receive proper medical care. It is heartwarming to think that at least someone is standing up for the victims and hopefully Napoli and Bern can help these people get the money they need and deserve to take care of their health after they gave so much to the city. As mentioned, it is estimated that it could be midway into the next decade before Christine LaSala and the WTC Captive Insurance Fund begin to pay those that were expose to toxins while cleaning up Ground Zero. In the interim, how many people are going to suffer, come down with terminal illnesses, or die before the WTC Captive Insurance Fund helps? They have proven that during that time they will be paying their CEO Christine LaSala $350,000 annually and using the money designated for victims to fight against those they are supposed to be helping in court.