Federal Court Rejects Mine Operator's Challenge to Black Lung Award for Former Employee

A federal appellate court rejected a coal mine operator’s petition for review of an award of black lung benefits to a miner who was not diagnosed with pneumoconiosis until years after he left the company. Case: ICG Knott County LLC v. OWCP, No. 25-3190, 12/01/2025, unpublished. Facts: Jamie Hamilton worked for more than 14 years as a coal miner, with his last coal mine employment at ICG Knott County LLC. After leaving ICG, Hamilton worked for more than a decade as a mine inspector for the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration. The administration ...