Coal mining is a way of life in West Virginia. It is part of our rich heritage. At The Segal Law Firm, we honor our miners, their families and our mining communities.
We all know that mining is hard and dangerous work. Coal miners know every shift the dangers that they face. Mining dangers are present whether working underground or in surface operations.
Sadly, West Virginia typically leads the nation in mining injuries and deaths. These injuries and deaths occur despite the fact that federal and state legislation and regulation exists to help provide safe working conditions for our family and friends in the coal and mining industry.
The rules must be followed by management. All too often, the safety rules are violated. Mine operators have a duty to see that safety standards are in place and well known. Operators are responsible for training miners on safety matters. Far too often, we learn of a red hat or apprentice miner who is a victim of serious injuries or who is killed.
Our extensive experience in coal mining litigation informs us that there are generally several factors and rules violations that lead to injury and death. We have aggressively represented coal miners in West Virginia for over two decades.
At The Segal Law Firm, our lawyers have successfully represented miners and their families due to injuries or death in the mining industry caused by the following:
- Longwall shield collapse
- Roof collapse
- Electrical accidents
- Improper training of personnel
- Methane gas explosion
- Failure to provide adequate safety equipment
- Burns caused by equipment
- Belt line accidents
- Powered haulage accidents
- Inby roofbolt failure
- Outby construction accidents
- Fall of face, rib or highwall
- Surface mining injuries
- Defective tools or equipments
- Injuries caused by mining equipment
- Failure to maintain proper mine safety
- Crush injuries where miners are crushed between coal mine ribs or top and equipment
- Crush injuries where miners are crushed between moving parts of equipment
- Failures to follow the roof control plan
- Failures to follow the mine safety plan
- Coal mining trucks
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in the mining industry, please call The Segal Law Firm so that our experienced attorneys can review the facts, regulations and industry standards to evaluate whether you have a case.