Sean P. McGinley Personal Injury Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Coal miners have tough jobs.  Working in coal mines is dangerous work, and coal miners must rely on company management to provide a safe working environment.  Deaths and injuries in coal mines can be prevented if the coal company follows normal safety precautions.  When injuries or deaths occur to coal miners, it is usually because the coal company has maintained an unsafe mine, or failed to follow accepted safety practices.  In some instances, coal companies direct their miners to disregard safety standards so they can increase production.  Injuries and deaths are often the result of such unsafe practices.

In investigation reports recently released, both an Alpha Natural Resources subsidiary and a Massey Energy contractor were cited by state inspectors for safety violations related to a pair of
coal mining deaths in 2010.  West Virginia state inspectors cited Alpha subsidiary Kingston Mining Inc. in the death of a roof bolter who was killed on when a 6-foot-by-3-foot piece of mine roof fell on him at Kingston's Mine No. 1 near Mossy in Fayette County.  Inspectors found that Kingston Mining was not complying with its state-approved roof control plan.  The plan required roof bolts to be spaced no more than 48 inches apart, but inspectors found the company had spaced them up to 59 inches apart. Also, the company was taking deeper cuts of coal than allowed by the plan. State inspectors also cited Kingston for eight serious ventilation violations in which they found no fresh-air movement in underground sections of the mine. They cited the company also for not cleaning up accumulations of explosive coal dust and applying "rock dust" to help prevent fires or explosions. 

In a separate report, state inspectors cited Medford Trucking, a contractor for Massey, in the death of truck driver who was killed when his truck ran off a haul road at Massey's Republic Energy Surface Mine along the Kanawha-Fayette County line. Inspectors found that three of the six brakes on the trailer attached to driver's truck were not working properly. One of the six brake drums was worn beyond the manufacturers' maximum limits and two of the six brake chambers were past due to be readjusted, the inspectors found.

When coal miners or coal truck drivers are injured or killed because the coal companies they work for don't keep the coal mine or equipment or trucks safe, the coal companies often deny any responsibility for the accident.  Coal miners and their families often must hire the best lawyers to represent them to make the coal company take responsibility for the accident, and get the compensation they are entitled to. 

One law firm in Charleston, West Virginia understands coal mining safety and accidents and has for over fifty years represented coal miners in injury and death cases against Massey, Medford Trucking and many other coal companies, and is available to help, advise and speak with injured coal miners or their families.  One of West Virginia's most experienced coal mining accident law firms always offers free consultations for injured coal miners and their families.