•
The U.S. Attorney General will appoint a Special Master to oversee the
Fund. A Special Master is a judicial officer who will decide the specific procedures
under which the Fund will work.
• The Special
Master will also employ and supervise hearing officers and other administrative
personnel to perform duties the Master assigns.
•
Individuals seeking compensation from the Fund (the Client/Claimants) will
have the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to present evidence,
including the presentation of witnesses and documents, and any other rights determined
appropriate by the Special Master.
• The Client/Claimant
will not be required to prove who was at fault in causing the injury/death.
In other words, the Client/Claimant will not have to prove negligence or any other
theory of liability on anyone's part, as would be necessary in a usual civil court
proceeding.
• Congress has ensured that a
decision on the claimant's case be rendered within 120 days of the filing of
the claim.
• Within 20 days after that,
Congress says the U.S. government must authorize payment for the amount awarded
by the Fund.
• Fund claimants will not
have the same rights to appeal decisions as those who seek compensation through
the traditional court system.
• Other compensation
claimants have received as a result of the attacks (such as life insurance policy
payouts, etc.) may be subtracted from Fund awards. In other words, compensation
from the Fund will be offset by other compensation claimants receive.
