NEW YORK — In the years after the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks, 10,000 people who helped clear mountains of debris from Lower Manhattan filed lawsuits blaming New York City for failing to protect them from toxic dust.
Now, plaintiffs such as firefighter Martin Fullam face a tight deadline to answer a big question: Do they sign a settlement and take a small share of a pot that could reach $657 million, or reject the offer and hope for something better?
It might be a difficult decision. The deal announced this week would pay some workers with mild health problems as little as $3,250, although it would spare them of having to convince a jury that their illnesses were caused by World Trade Center ash.
For the more seriously sick, payments would be higher — possibly more than $1 million — but it will still mean putting a price tag on poor health.
“This is something that affects the rest of my life. I’ll never work again. It has taken years off my life,” said Fullam, a lieutenant who was diagnosed with polymyositis and pulmonary fibrosis and needed a lung transplant after putting in long hours at ground zero.
“I feel there is a certain value in there,” said the 53-year-old, who takes a battery of medications and was back in the hospital last week for a heart problem. “It’s not about getting a lot of money and moving to Florida and buying a boat.”
The deal announced late Thursday is contingent on getting 95 percent of the 10,000 plaintiffs to sign the settlement. Lawyers on both sides of the deal said they are confident they will meet that threshold.
Workers must make their choice fast. They have been given just 90 days to accept or decline. Most will make the choice before they know for sure how much money, if any, they stand to collect.
Payouts will be set based on a complicated formula that factors in the seriousness of each person’s illness, as well as their age, previous health history and level of exposure to trade center ash.
