Federal Judge Rejects Proposed 9/11 Settlement
Friday, March 19, 2010
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People look out toward the World Trade Center site March 12, 2010. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
New York, NY –
A federal judge has rejected the proposed legal settlement for rescue and recovery workers sickened by dust from the destroyed World Trade Center.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said in court Friday that the deal to compensate 10,000 police officers, firefighters, and other laborers didn't offer enough money for the workers.
Hellerstein also expressed concern that too much of the settlement would go toward legal fees. Attorneys in large cases frequently get a third or more of the settlement amount.
In this case, the proposed settlement would have awarded the workers as much as $657.5 million, with $200 million or more going to the lawyers.
Hellerstein has reduced attorneys fees before.
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