More Than 10K Settle Suits Over Ground Zero Dust

More than 10,000 people have joined a legal settlement that will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Ground Zero workers exposed to toxic World Trade Center dust. The near-universal acceptance of the deal was announced by a court today. It will mean an end to most litigation over New York City's failure to provide protective equipment to construction workers, police, and firefighters who cleared rubble.

Only around 500 of the thousands who sued the city over the cleanup declined to take the offer. At least 95% had to sign on to make the deal effective. It cleared that hurdle, barely, with 95.1%. The settlement will provide at least $625 million. Related deals could boost that total to more than $725 million. (More Ground Zero stories.)