Lawyers Banned From Charging Interest in 9/11 Settlement
NEW YORK (AP) -- The judge who approved the settlement for thousands of first responders exposed to toxic World Trade Center dust has banned their lawyers from charging their clients for $6.1 million in interest on money they borrowed to fund the litigation.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein made the decision during a hearing Friday to examine the fees that were requested after the settlement was announced.
Earlier this year, the judge signed off on a deal that could pay more than $700 million to about 10,000 police, firefighters and construction workers. It still must be approved by 95 percent of the plaintiffs before becoming final.
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