Lawyers propose higher 9/11 responder settlement

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers representing the city and thousands of ground zero workers suing over their exposure to toxic dust from the World Trade Center today proposed an increased settlement offer of $625 million to $712.5 million that also sets a cap on legal fees.

Lawyers presented the deal — more than $100 million higher than an initial settlement offer a federal judge initially rejected — at a court hearing.

"We believe a debt was incurred on 9/11 ... and that this debt goes a long way toward repaying that debt," said Paul Napoli, a lawyer representing thousands of police officers, firefighters and construction workers who became ill after working on the cleanup of ground zero after Sept. 11.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein did not immediately rule on the proposal.