Self-Insured Parent Co. of Miner's Final Employer Liable for Black Lung Benefits

A federal appellate court upheld the imposition of liability for a coal miner’s Black Lung Benefits Act claim on the self-insured parent of his final employer. David Howard spent 17 years working in coal mines. He retired from a position with the Apogee Coal Co. in 1997. At the time, Apogee was self-insured through its owner, Arch Resources. In 2005, Arch sold Apogee and its federal black lung liabilities to Magnum Coal Co. The interests were transferred again when Patriot Coal Co. purchased Magnum and its liabilities in 2008. Howard filed a claim for black lung benefits in 2014. The ...