Board Can Reject Medical Opinion for Confusing Legal, Clinical Pneumoconiosis

A federal appellate court ruled that the Benefits Review Board can reject a medical opinion based on its blurring of distinctions between clinical and legal pneumoconiosis. James Lyle worked as a coal miner for 28 years. His last employer was Energy West Mining Co. There is a statutory presumption that coal miners with total disabilities from respiratory or pulmonary impairments who have worked in an underground coal mine for at least 15 years have pneumoconiosis. The Department of Labor has recognized two forms of pneumoconiosis: clinical and legal. In its clinical form, pneumoconiosis is ...