N001949
Thursday, January 17, 2002 2:48 PM
Mr. Kenneth L. Zwick, Director
Office of Management Programs, Civil Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Main Building, Room 3140
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear Mr. Zwick:
I am writing in response to your invitation to comment on the
Interim Final Rule which was issued on December 21, 2001.
My wife, , was killed on September 11, 2001. She was which was hijacked and intentionally crashed into the Pentagon . was my wife, my life partner and the heart of our family. death has left a void in my life and in the lives of our two children which no amount of money can fill. My children and I represent only three of the many thousands of individuals who lost family on September 11, 2001, but I hope you will hear our voices.
The chart that was published in conjunction with the guidelines strips and each of the other victims of any shred of identity they have as individuals. The cap on non-economic damages represents a harsh, un-realistic pre-determination of my family's loss. Furthermore, the notion of a cap in place before any consideration of our family's non-economic loss is an affront to the families. Death, unfortunately is individualistic to each and every family and not as the Fund wishes it to be: collective. Each individual that died on September 11, 2001, was unique and special, please do not allow the guidelines to treat them as anything less.
I am also unable to understand the logic that supports an offset of collateral sources . The offset removes the incentive for families to plan ahead for their children's current and future needs. The life insurance policies, pension plans and defined benefits plans that will be deducted as collateral sources represent the hard work in the industry of the decedents and their families; the same hard work in industry that has contributed to the wealth of our government that provides the source of the Victim's Compensation Fund. This day, September 11, 2001 will NEVER be forgotten. Like it or not, this day is far greater than December 7, 1941: a day of infamy . There will NEVER be another day like that September day, I implore you to support the rebuilding of these families through the use of these government funds with the same enthusiasm and commitment the government had directed toward rebuilding the airline industry in the days that followed September 11, 2001.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Chevy Chase, MD