The VCF is administered by a Special Master appointed by the Attorney General, with operational assistance provided by the Civil Division Torts Branch, and provides compensation for physical harm or death caused by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, or the debris removal efforts in the immediate aftermath. The VCF compensates individuals (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who were present at one of the three crash sites or in the VCF New York City Exposure Zone.