ALBANY - Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D/WF-Yonkers) and Assemblyman Mike Spano (D/C/WF-Yonkers) announced that Governor Paterson signed “Jimmy Nolan’s Law”, extending the time that 9/11 workers can file compensation claims for injuries suffered from participating in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery or cleanup operations.

“This legislation was crucial for hundreds of men and women who sacrificed their time and health at Ground Zero to help others during the aftermath of our nation’s most horrific attacks in recent history”, said Stewart-Cousins.  “His signing now during this 9/11 commemorative period reaffirms his and all New Yorkers’ gratitude for the selfless acts of countless individuals during and after the tragic events of 9/11.”

“I would like to thank the governor for signing ‘Jimmy Nolan’s Law’ to ensure that New York takes care of the thousands of brave individuals who worked at Ground Zero,” Spano said. “Eight years after the World Trade Center attacks, the heroes who risked their lives to help our nation through its darkest hour will finally get the compensation they deserve.”

Jimmy Nolan’s Law” allows an additional one-year period for eligible workers to file claims to receive workers’ compensation. Under current law a worker has only 90 days to file a claim, but numerous “second wave” 9/11 victims – those who were affected by the hazardous dust and debris in the aftermath of the attacks– showed symptoms long after the 90-day time restriction.

The law is named after second wave 9/11 victim Jimmy Nolan, a carpenter from Yonkers and father of three. He was working in construction at NYU when he heard about the World Trade Center attacks and immediately rushed to Ground Zero to provide any assistance he could.  He slept at the World Trade Center site for three weeks, and now suffers from wood and skin allergies as well as respiratory problems. He spends $200 a month on medications for these conditions.