Updated 11/10/2010 08:53 AM
Judge Extends Deadline For 9/11 Health Settlement
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A federal judge is giving thousands of September 11th first responders another week to sign on to a multi-million dollar settlement with the city.
Rescue and recovery workers initially had until 12 a.m. Tuesday to decide whether to join a deal that would pay as much as $815 million to those who developed illnesses while working at the World Trade Center site.
After a huge influx of people filed paperwork related to the settlement in the days before the deadline, lawyers representing the city agreed to extend the deadline.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein will now give workers until next Tuesday to decide.
Under the terms of the deal, the settlement only takes effect if 95 percent of the workers agree to sign on.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs say they are optimistic they will be able to cross the threshold.