N002506
Monday, January 14, 2002 10:45 AM
(no subject)
In response to Special Master Kenneth Feinberg:
My son, , a New York City Firefighter, perished in the World
Trade Center. My son was 29 years of age, single with no children and earned
approximately $50,000 per year.
According to the guidelines in the "Presumed Economic and Non-Economic Loss
Tables" on the USDOJ website his life would be worth approximately $816,000
minus "collateral payment". He had a $200,000 life insurance policy and as a
fireman who dies in the line of duty that sum is augmented by an additional
$50,000 to his beneficiaries. My wife and I are the next of kin, however, my
son named his two brothers and sister as beneficiaries of his life
insurance. We were recipients of a federal death benefit of $250,000 and as
next of kin we are eligible to collect his pension of $2,025 per month. My
wife is 57 years old and I am 60 years old.
When this legislation was enacted and Congress bailed out the airlines, The
City of New York, and the lease holder on the World Trade Center building,
the intent of this law was that this fund would replace the rights of the
families to sue those entities. Now the Special Master has stated that the
collateral payments must be deducted off of any settlement. At the time this
bill was passed into law the number of casualties was thought to be over
10,000. Since that time we have learned that because of the efforts of the
over 400 firefighters, policemen and rescue workers who perished in the World
Trade Center over 25,000 lives were saved in the greatest rescue ever
achieved, bringing the death toll to around 3,000. These people perished
because of a terrorist attack on The United States.
To Mr. Feinberg I pose the question, "how much would my son's life be worth
to him if he helped save his life or the life of one of his loved ones"!
I urge you to please follow the will of Congress who's intent was not to
further desecrate the memories of those who gave all in this first battle by
a foreign power on our beloved shores.
Below is a photo of our brave son, he is not just a name.
Individual Comment
Brooklyn, New York