Number: RL33927
Title: Selected Federal Compensation Programs for Physical Injury or Death
Authors: Sarah A. Lister and C. Stephen Redhead, Domestic Social Policy Division 
Abstract: This report describes a number of federal programs that Congress established to compensate or assist individuals who have suffered physical or psychological harm as a consequence of specific events (including the actions of others), or who have suffered specific types of physical or psychological harm. First, several program attributes - which are used to describe the specific programs - are discussed in general. Next, selected compensation programs are presented in three groupings, as mentioned above. Next, three veterans' compensation programs are presented. Veterans' disability compensation is based on establishing a connection between an illness or injury and military service. Congress has on three occasions granted a presumption of a service-connection for a specific group of veterans. A final section describes four additional federal assistance programs that do not fit into the above classifications, but that may nonetheless be of interest to policymakers: The Federal Tort Claims Act, Stafford Act emergency and disaster assistance, the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program, and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program.
Pages: 34
Date: April 15, 2008