9/12 - The Epic Battle of the Ground Zero Responders (Hardcover)

9-12 is the saga of the nine-year epic legal battle Bill Groner waged against the City of New York and its contractors on behalf of more than 10,000 first responders who became ill as a result of working on the Ground Zero Cleanup. These first responders, such as AT&T Disaster Relief head Gary Acker, NYPD Detectives Candice Baker and John Walcott, and Firefighter Ella McNair, rushed to Ground Zero as others fled and remained to work on the rescue and recovery mission. Their bravery and humanity was rewarded with horrible health issues from the toxic stew of chemicals present in the Ground Zero dust and debris that government officials such as Mayor Giuliani and EPA chief Christine Todd Whitman had assured them was safe. Groner, a lead attorney in the following mass tort litigation, fought for their illnesses to be acknowledged and for them to receive validation and closure, as well as compensation-an eventual aggregate award of more than $800 Million. An in-depth look at the case itself, 9-12 examines the injustice done to these heroes in the aftermath of 9-11 and weaves together Groner's firsthand account of the case with glimpses into the first responders' lives as they try to understand and overcome their illnesses. The result is an intimate look into their battles-physical, mental, and legal-that will leave you cheering triumphantly for these heroes who, in spite of everything, would do it all again. Told by Groner and award-winning journalist Tom Teicholz, 9-12 is the story of the brave citizens who showed up when their country needed them most, their fight for redress, and their victory in the face of the seemingly insurmountable.