Judge reaches out to holdouts in 9/11 health suit

NEW YORK (AP) — The federal judge overseeing a major legal settlement for thousands of ground zero workers exposed to World Trade Center dust says he wants to give a handful of holdouts one last chance to opt-in to the deal.

Nearly all of the 10,000 police officers, firefighters and construction workers who sued New York City over health problems they blame on the dust have joined a settlement that will pay them at least $625 million.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said in an order Wednesday that he wants to make certain the 520 plaintiffs who did not join were aware of their options.

The judge appointed a special counsel to offer free legal advice to any eligible plaintiff who missed an earlier deadline to join the deal.

The outreach effort expires Dec. 17.