Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Article on Black Lung Clinic
Over the weekend, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a story about a black lung clinic in McMurray, Pennsylvania: Lungs at Work. The reporter spoke with Lynda Glagola,…
Gorsuch’s Rulings in Black Lung Benefits Cases
Now that President Trump has nominated Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, many are sifting through his record to better understand what his…
Byrd Amendments Update: Senate Republicans Introduce Bill Protecting Black Lung Improvements & Analysis of Executive Order 13,765 Concerning the Affordable Care Act
The uncertainty around the future of the black lung improvements that are contained within the Affordable Care Act continues. “Day one” has come and gone and…
Federal Black Lung Benefits Rates for 2017: Benefits Increase By 1%
Recently the U.S. Department of Labor increased by 1% the modest amount of money that disabled coal miners and their families who receive federal black lung…
Byrd Amendments Update: Senate Democrats Introduce Symbolic Amendments to Protect Black Lung Improvements
The past week has not seen any concrete action regarding the Byrd Amendments. But like last week’s introduction of a proposed House Resolution by coalfield Republicans,…
Board Holds in Published Case that Miners Cannot Be Compelled to Attend More than Two Operator Examinations (McClanahan v. Brem Coal Co.)
Earlier this week, the Benefits Review Board designated one of its decisions from last month as published. In McClanahan v. Brem Coal Co. (decision here), the…
Federal Black Lung Benefits Rates for 2016: Benefits Increase By 1%
Recently the U.S. Department of Labor increased by 1% the modest amount of money that disabled coal miners and their families who receive federal black lung…
Three Fourth Circuit Decisions Affirming Awards of Black Lung Benefits (Island Creek Coal Co. v. Dykes, NBL Coal Co. v. Director, OWCP [Moore], and Island Creek Coal Co. v. Hargett))
In three cases in the past couple weeks, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed awards of federal black lung benefits. The unpublished…
Sixth Circuit Holds That ALJs May Discredit Medical Opinions Based on Theory that COPD Caused by Coal-Mine Dust Ends Once Exposure Ends (Sunny Ridge Mining Co. v. Keathley)
Last week, in an important published decision (available here) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a miner’s award of black lung benefits—holding…
Bill Seeks to Reform Federal Black Lung Benefits Program
Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Robert Casey (D-PA) plan to introduce a bill to ensure that miners receive fairer treatment when pursuing benefits claims. According to the…