Sunday, July 31, 2011

Outrage: Cancer-stricken Ground Zero worker receives compensation check for $0

Ground Zero: A Repairman Jack Novel

A ground zero worker was supposed to receive $10,005. Instead, he received a check for $0. Lawyers got almost all the money. I once had an employee who received a paycheck with a negatave number due to insurance and child support and a couple of missed days.

CANCER-STRICKEN Ground Zero worker Edgar Galvis has finally received a compensation cheque - for zero dollars.

The New York Post reported the 51-year-old Queens man, who suffered sinus problems and then throat cancer after months of removing toxic debris from the World Financial Center, was relieved to get a cheque in the mail for his court settlement with Merrill Lynch, whose offices he had cleaned.

But he was stunned when he saw the amount: $0.00.

His award had been $10,005, but his lawyers at the firm Worby, Groner, Edelman & Napoli Bern lopped off $2579 for unitemised legal expenses.

Then they took a 33.3 per cent fee of $2124. They also subtracted $352, a fee to the lawyer who referred him.

The remaining $4950 was withheld for unspecified "liens", the letter says.

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