The 9/11 tragedy has generated a cottage industry of litigation about the definition of the term “occurrence” in a property policy, the obligations of a long term tenant to rebuild property destroyed by terrorists and the liability of owners of property and their contractors to workers who claim to have been injured in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack. After years of litigation, the City of New York and its contractors announced a global settlement with thousands of plaintiffs who seek compensation for respiratory injuries allegedly caused by the effects of 9/11. The settlement fund could reach as much as $657,000,000 if accepted by over 98% of the claimants.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected the proposed settlement as inadequate and prohibited the parties from implementing several key provisions in the agreement. The City of New York disputes the court’s authority to approve the settlement or reject any provision in the agreement. The City has filed a notice of appeal with the Second Circuit in an effort to salvage the settlement as negotiated between the parties.
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