Word: coal
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...distinct disadvantage. Most lawyers decline to accept black lung cases because they know that claimants have little chance, says Dr. Mohammed Ranavaya, a West Virginia physician who has examined thousands of black lung patients. "It's not an even playing field, because you have a small-town coal miner vs. a big, resourceful company. It's David and Goliath...
...years later, he emerged as a man old beyond his years, his frail 112-lb. frame racked with a convulsive cough. Now 55, he is rarely out of reach of an oxygen machine. In his struggle to claim black lung disability, he is no match for Island Creek Coal Co. Perry never finished elementary school. A collector of baseball cards, he enjoys the pictures but cannot read the text. Island Creek has stoutly resisted his claims, arguing that his condition is the result not of working in the mines but rather of years of cigarette smoking. "These companies...
...lives of Logan County's miners rest in the hands of four dozen state and federal inspectors who police the county's 157 mines. Many of the inspectors are no doubt honest, but corruption runs as deep as the seams of coal. Four years ago, the Labor Department launched a major investigation into bribery at the MSHA's field office in Logan County. The probe has produced some shocking tales. Former coal-company employee Larry Vannatter says he provided an abundance of favors to inspectors when he worked for Logan County mine operator and consultant Phil Nelson. Vannatter says...
...life has dealt Hinchman a more severe punishment. Instead of a government desk job, he now works in one of the private mines whose ventilation plans he approved. He complains of the physical rigors and of how, hours after he exits the mine, his nostrils are still black with coal dust. And in the mining community in which he lives, he must endure the suspicions of those who feel betrayed. "I did not jeopardize the health and safety of the coal miners -- I respect them," he says, his eyes filling with tears...
BUSINESS: King Coal's Grim Legacy...