Supreme Court Upholds 0% PPD Award for Worker's Occupational Pneumoconiosis Claim

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an award of 0% permanent partial disability for a worker’s occupational pneumoconiosis claim. Case: Kyle v. Patriot Coal Corp., No. 25-605, 01/13/2026, published. Facts: Terry Kyle worked for Patriot Coal Corp. He filed a workers’ compensation claim, asserting that he had stopped working in November 2015 due to health issues. The physicians’ portion of the form was completed by nurse Erica Stanley and Dr. Richard Spencer. Stanley and Spencer opined that Kyle had occupational pneumoconiosis. A claims administrator for Patriot’s ...