Bloomberg: I Don't Want To Fight 9/11 Responders
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- A growing number of 9/11 first responders were settling their legal dispute with New York City, even as Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he wants to avoid a long court battle.
A lawyer representing 10,000 Ground Zero workers suing over exposure to World Trade Center dust said 75-percent have signed an agreement resolving their claims.
The deal would pay first responders anywhere from several thousand to about $2 million, depending on the severity of their illness.
"We have no desire to be fighting in court with those who acted unselfishly and heroically in response to that attack both on 9/11 and in its aftermath," Bloomberg said.
The deal only takes effect if 95-percent of all plaintiffs agree to the settlement by November 8.
