911 victims have learned how much money they’ll receive from the victim’s compensation fund. Tonight we’ll take a closer look at one family who’s been rewarded for their loved one’s bravery that day. Action News consumer team reporter Bill Spencer has their story.
On September 11th, the very fabric of American life was torn apart. Moments after the first plane hit the North Tower, 53-year-old Evette Anderson was on the 87th floor of the South Tower. She knew she should run for her life but instead, she stayed behind to help her boss, a polio victim trapped in a wheelchair. One of her co-workers called her from across the street and begged her to leave the building, but she wouldn’t do it because she wouldn’t leave Bill to fend for himself. It would have been a lot harder for him in a wheelchair to get out of the building. Evette died a few minutes later inside the World Trade Center. And like thousands of other families who lost loved ones that day, Evette’s family filed a claim with the United States Justice Department’s September 11th Victims Compensation Fund. Right there alongside Evette’s family, the entire way has been Birmingham attorney Eric Abramson, “Evette Anderson was a woman who was animated by her faith. She lived her entire life through God.” For more than a year now, Eric has been representing Evette’s family in an effort to get them the highest dollar award possible. Under the rules of the compensation fund, each victim’s spouse is supposed to get $250,000, each child an additional $100,000. Added to that is the victim’s lifelong earning potential. In Evette’s case, that figure should have reached $800,000 total. But in this case, Attorney Abramson argued that Evette truly died a hero, and through his argument, was able to get Evette’s family more than twice that amount. A total of $1,650,635. “There were several moments that were very powerful, but the most powerful moment was the final testimony, that of the daughter, Rasha McMillan. When I was asking her questions, her testimony was so powerful that, of course, she was crying. I found myself that I couldn’t help but cry as well. And I looked out of the corner of my eye and when I saw the judge, he was wiping away tears.” Now, it’s important for you to know that Evette’s family is just one of close to 6,000 families who have applied to the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund. Of those families, only about one-third have to date received court judgments like Evette’s family has. This is Bill Spencer, seven on your side. We also want you to know that Attorney Eric Abramson worked on Evette’s case pro bono, which means he did not receive any money for his work at all. Awards through the victims’ compensation fund are also tax-free.
