Did you lose a loved one in an underground coal mining accident, or were you injured at the coal mine by defective equipment, dust explosion, or exposure to poisonous gases or methane? The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, represent clients involved in coal mining accidents.
Call our law office at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today to schedule a free consultation. Our legal team has extensive experience resolving personal injury cases and filing Workers’ Compensation injury claims to hold the employer financially accountable.
Mining is a hazardous occupation— one in which workers willingly expose themselves to harsh working conditions, dangerous machinery, and a hazardous environment. Nevertheless, these people sacrificing their bodies represent a portion of the nation’s backbone and deserve not only to be commended but to be granted all implements needed to ensure their safety and for their needs to be covered should they be injured on the job.
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our coal mining accident attorneys believe in protecting the rights and interests of those who have been harmed needlessly after lifetimes of hard work and dedication. Our law firm will fight tirelessly to recover the compensation our clients deserve.
Common causes of a coal mining accidents and cave collapses include:
- Dust explosion
- Earthquake
- Excavations (mine stope collapsing)
- Failing to maintain the mining shaft
- Flooding
- Improperly deploying mining explosives
- Poorly operated or malfunctioning equipment
A coal mining accident can lead to catastrophic injuries, including broken bones, lung damage from smoke inhalation, spinal cord injuries, toxic chemical exposure, paralysis, and traumatic brain injuries.
Negligence in the Workplace Leading to Coal Mine Accidents
Mines are dangerous enough on their own, and coal mine operators do not need to contribute to an environment already rife with hazards. Additionally, the following examples include ways coal mining companies or fellow employees place workers in harm’s way or how equipment and machinery can contribute to a coal mining accident.
- Overworked employees— When coal miners are overworked and exhausted, they are more likely to make mistakes. Studies have proven that tiredness has similar effects on reaction speed and the ability to make responsible decisions under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Inadequate training— When coal miners are not adequately trained on how to operate machinery or perform their specific job functions safely, they are more prone to make mistakes that can have costly consequences
- Employee error— Coal mining accidents aren’t often the result of intentional actions, and coal miners make mistakes. They must make a right, however, when a mistake results in the physical harm or death of another person
- Drug and alcohol abuse— The danger of using heavy machinery during mining operations is exacerbated when workers are impaired or under the influence, and it is entirely unacceptable for anyone to place others at risk in such a manner
- Toxic substances— Blasting, drilling, and other critical coal mining operational procedures throw silica dust and other substances into the air. Inhaling toxic substances over an extended period could cause cancer, silicosis, and other severe medical conditions. The coal mine accident victims’ employer must provide a monetary recovery for treating any inhalation injury.
- Poor safety record— Employers often cut corners at the expense of their employees to reduce costs and maintain margins they find acceptable. An employer’s failure to provide safety devices needed to prevent injuries could create liability issues where the company is found guilty of negligence and held liable for any severe injuries that result from the violation of safety standards.
All injured workers employed at a mining company can seek compensation through the Worker’s Comp benefit program to recoup lost wages and pay medical expenses.
The Worker’s Compensation Benefit Program
If you or a family member were injured in a coal mining accident, you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits to recoup lost wages and pay medical bills. The Worker’s Comp benefit program usually pays an amount equal to the injured worker’s weekly wages and all medical expenses until the employee can return to work.
However, the amount of monetary recovery provided is often significantly less than the value of the personal injury caused during the coal mine accident. As a result, many injured employees will hire a personal injury attorney to represent clients working for mining companies.
The lawyer can file an individual case against any third party involved in the mine disaster or the employer whose intentional act led to the accident.
Contact the worker’s comp attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC for more information and a free review of your legal rights and options involving your coal mining accident.
Our attorneys represent clients in various types of coal mining accidents involving:
- Coal dust exposure
- Coal stockpile collapse
- Defective equipment and tools
- Lack of safety equipment
- Longwall shields collapse
- Methane explosions
- Roof collapses
- Runaway mine cars
Providing Legal Representation Involving Different Coal Mining Accident Claims
Our personal injury attorneys handle all workers’ comp claims and personal injury cases for victims and family members who have suffered surface and underground mining injuries and death. Common cases our legal team handles include:
- Coal mine electrical injuries and death– Underground mines rely on electricity to operate equipment, light the shafts and run elevators. However, any spark from electricity could ignite methane gases, combustible dust, and other flammable hazards, leading to catastrophic electrical accidents.
- Coal mine explosions– Coal dust is highly combustible when methane gases are released into the air during the mining process. Without proper ventilation in the mine shaft, a buildup of methane gas can produce catastrophic explosions. Coal miners must follow safety regulations to avoid the improper use of explosions underground, which could lead to methane explosions.
- Roof falling injuries and death– While rare, a mine roof can cave in, crushing and killing coal miners. Additionally, a falling roof can block ingress and egress in less devastating accidents, making it challenging for search and rescue crews to extricate trapped miners.
- Malfunctioning coal mining equipment injuries and death– The mining process requires all sorts of heavy equipment and electrical machinery to harvest materials, deliver supplies, and transport workers while underground. Many coal miners’ deaths are the result of faulty equipment and defective powered haulage machinery.
- Flooding accident injuries and death– Flash flooding and heavy rains during the rainy season can flood the mine when excessive underground water penetration occurs unexpectedly. Many coal mining accidents and injuries could have been prevented had the mining company addressed wall and ceiling openings allowing water to enter, trapping miners underground.
- Slips and falls– Coal miners must work in damp, tight, confined areas, creating slippery surfaces, leading to slip and fall accidents. However, nearly every slip & fall coal mining accident is preventable when mining companies prepare for adverse weather conditions, supervise their employees, and ensure that every worker wears a safety hat and other proper safety equipment.
It is incumbent for mining companies to follow mining regulations and safety guidelines to monitor methane levels and prevent explosions.
Proving Liability Following a Coal Mining Accident
Coal mining injuries are often the result of multiple failures on the part of more than one party, and determining liability is instrumental to securing the maximum amount of compensation when filing a claim.
Our law firm relies on teams of experts who evaluate the history of employers and manufacturers to uncover patterns of safety violations, and thoroughly reconstruct the conditions of a mine disaster. Their evaluations and assessments provide insight into what went wrong during the coal mining accident and what could have been prevented had the employer and workers followed safety regulations.
Our experts will inspect equipment involved in accidents to determine whether defective or poorly maintained equipment contributed to a mine disaster. Medical experts and economists can then determine the financial impact of your injuries and what medical treatment is required for rehabilitation.
Contact a Mining Workers’ Compensation & Injury Law Firm
Were you injured in a coal mining accident, or did you lose a loved one in a fatal accident caused by the coal miner operators’ negligence or their deliberate intent to put profits ahead of coal miner safety?
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our coal miner accident attorneys hold mine operators legally and financially accountable for severe injuries and wrongful death at their coal mines. As a plaintiff, you may be entitled to damages such as emotional distress, pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, workers’ compensation benefits, future lost earnings, and funeral & burial expenses in wrongful death cases.
Our personal injury law firm offers every client a “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee. This guarantee ensures that you will owe us nothing if we cannot obtain the compensation you deserve. Our mining injury attorneys are located throughout Illinois and have handled numerous coal mining accident cases nationwide.
Call our injury attorneys at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) to schedule a no-obligation consultation today to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. All confidential or sensitive information you share with your coal mining accident lawyer will constitute an attorney-client relationship.
Resources:
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Coal Mining Accident Statistics
- Centers For Disease Control And Prevention – Underground Coal Mining Injuries
Many accident injury cases have already been resolved through million-dollar settlements to ensure families have sufficient financial compensation for providing all the treatment and care the victim requires.
