Eleventh Circuit Sides with Coal Miner in Black Lung Benefit Row

A coal miner’s son won his bid to overturn an administrative law judge’s decision that blocked him from receiving black lung disability benefits.

Jeffrey Hayes, the son of a coal miner who worked for nearly 30 years, proved that his father worked enough to qualify for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act, according to Judge William Pryor of the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

The Eleventh Circuit vacated the ALJ’s decision, saying Hayes’ interpretation of the provision in the law comports with the plain language of the text. The dispute centered on determining the eligibility ...