September 11 workers settle for $650 million

Lawsuits have been filed since 2003 by workers who were present at ground zero of the 911 attacks in 2001 who suffered subsequent illnesses due to the ingestion of the smoke and debris that was in the air that they were exposed to. Those affected include firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, construction workers and others. A settlement has been reached in the matter, and the victims will be splitting up $650 million. Depending on the severity of their illnesses, some may receive more than a million dollars.

It’s great to see these folks get their due, and no amount of money can ever buy your health back. But it is interesting to juxtapose this story next to that of the young teenagers that were recently murdered in Afghanistan by U.S.-led forces whose parents received $2,000 in exchange for the lives of their children.

You can read more about the settlement for 911 workers here.