Only three September 11 lawsuits yet to be settled

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than 90 wrongful death and personal injury claims related to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States have been settled for a total $500 million, a mediator said on Thursday.

Mediator Sheila Birnbaum, appointed to oversee 95 lawsuits filed against airlines, airport security and other related companies, said in a report that only three wrongful death claims had not yet been settled.

Two of the remaining cases relate to deaths on American Airlines Flight No. 11 and one was from United Airlines Flight No. 175.

The lawsuits were filed by people who chose not to take part in the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund set up by Congress.

About 5,560 people filed claims through the compensation fund, which paid out more than $7 billion. Those who filed claims with the fund were forbidden to pursue lawsuits.

On September 11, 2001, 2,752 people were killed when hijackers flew two airliners into the World Trade Center in New York and a third one into the Pentagon in Washington, while a fourth plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field.