N000209
Friday, December 21, 2001 2:40 PM
This is an embarassment
Honorable Kenneth Feinberg
Special Master of Sept 11 Victims Fund
My father was an employee for . He was killed on September
11th in the World Trade Center. I went to a meeting on December 17, 2001
with Kenneth Feinberg where he addressed the group on the outline of the
compensation program. One of the first things he mentioned was that there
would be NO CAPP on the payout. Once the plan was formally introduced
Feinberg capped earners at $240,000. My father was earning north of 2
million dollars a year. On top of this they also announced that all
insurance (despite the fact that my father went out on his own, and paid for
his own insurance) would be deducted from the payout. My father was 55
years old. Ironically enough, I had a 2 hour conversation with him on
Monday, September 10, 2001, where he explained that he loved his work and
would be working at least another 5-10 years. He was in the peek of his
career. In Feinberg's own words: "The payout will be calculated based on
the combination of economic loss -- what the person would have earned -- and
non-economic loss -- pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of
consortium." Doing very simple math, my father would have averaged earning
(because he has for the past years) north of 2 million dollars. I know for
fact he had every intention of working for at least 10 years. Had he worked
this entire time, he would have earned north of 20 million in that time.
Where is the justice in capping my father at $240,000? In Feinberg's plan
my family receives the minimum or nothing. This plan from the beginning,
was intended to remove a litigation cloud over the vital airline industry.
My family and many many many more families as you will soon find out, will
be forced to commence protracted, paralyzing litigation against the
airlines. The way the "Program" is set up now the families of high earners
(and especially high earners who had the prudence to buy adequate insurance)
will not receive any award. Why must these families be punished by not
being fairly compensated for there losses. Why must Feinberg feel the need
to even the disparity in payments, there were a disparity of people that
were lost that earned a disparity of earnings. Why would they compensate
all families equally? My family will be missing most importantly my father
one billion dollars can't fix that. However my family will also be missing
around 20 million dollars in my father's earnings over the next 10 years,
yet the Program says we deserve nothing. My family along with many families
have no choice but to bring a law suit against the airlines. I hope this
letter makes it to Mr. Feinberg, why are the families of the wealthiest
victims lost being punished there is at least 6 billion dollars in the fund
and less then 3000 deaths from Sept 11. The money is there to compensate
families for there actual losses. Why is Feinberg's program refusing to
compensate the families of wealthy employees with what they are due? And
one final question why does this program keep referring to the compensation
as a "reward." This is not a reward, this is compensation for a loss. I
speak for myself only, after all that we have had to endure since Sept 11,
now we have to watch as we are lied to, and abandoned by Feinberg's Program.
Something must be done. I would appreciate a response.
Thank You,
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