What 9/11 Victims Were Left Out, and Never Compensated?
The RAND Study also raises a key question: Who was left out? That is, what victims were compensated only a little, or not at all? RAND notes that those left out included victims of environmental injuries and emotional injuries, as well as workers in the New York City area, who suffered from the immediate economic effects of the attack. These groups received much less compensation, in relative terms, than civilians killed or seriously wounded (who were covered by the Fund); emergency responders killed or seriously wounded (who were also covered by the Fund); or businesses (which typically had insured themselves). One Key Question to Ponder: Was the Government’s $16 Billion Spent Correctly? The final, brief section of the RAND Study asks why society wants to do things this way. It also asks whether society should rethink its commitments before the next catastrophic attack. Two issues the Study raises seem, to me, especially important. First, let’s assume that Congress should, indeed, be
