In today’s blog, we’d like to tell you a story of a coal mining crush injury case that The Segal Law Firm took on recently. Many injuries and deaths that occur in coal mining are related to equipment and lack of experience. The Segal Law Firm represented the family of a 23-year-old miner who received fatal crushing injuries when he was caught between the continuous miner boom and the mine roof as the machine was being trammed out of the mine in order to do needed repairs.
Investigation by Segal Law
Tremendous investigation by our legal team revealed a number of contributing factors leading to the tragic loss of the young father. The mine had difficult working conditions requiring extensive rehabilitation. It had been experiencing poor mining conditions including low seam height, harder roof and floor rock and water. During the move of the continuous miner, the victim was assisting with cable while working as a helper rather than in his regular job as a greaser. The continuous miner had to be trammed down a ledge, through airlock doors and had to avoid diagonally hanging cable. The victim received fatal crushing injuries when the miner boom caught his head against the mine roof when the continuous miner passed over a ledge.
The deceased miner was positioned in a way that the continuous miner operator could not see him. Only two miners were involved in the equipment move.
Working with inspector’s reports and the mine safety regulations, an aggressive investigation and legal work by The Segal Law Firm mine safety lawyers uncovered training failures, equipment move failures, failures of personal protective equipment, and violations regarding the foreman not being present during a major equipment move. Other contributing factors included a new mining company and the use of independent contractor labor with little mining experience.
Result
The lawsuit filed on behalf of the deceased miner’s widow, infant son and other beneficiaries was successfully concluded.
We take on every case with passion and compassion. At The Segal Law Firm, we offer a voice to miners and their families. Have you or a loved one been the victim of a coal mining accident? If so, contact The Segal Law Firm today for a consultation.