‘Do you have to be dead?’: US coalminers plead for benefits as black-lung disease cases surge
Trump says he digs coal – but pneumoconiosis cases are at a 50-year high, and sick miners are mired in benefit delays For 38 years, Josh Armes worked as a coal miner in West Virginia and Virginia. After retirement, Armes, 74, of Grundy, Virginia, was diagnosed with black lung disease, medically known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), caused by breathing in coal dust over long periods, which…
Josh Armes, a 74-year-old coal miner from Grundy, Virginia, was diagnosed with black lung disease, also known as coal workers' pneumoconiosis, after a 38-year career in the industry. The condition, caused by prolonged exposure to coal dust, has left him requiring an oxygen tank and regular medical care. For the past 12 years, Armes has been embroiled in a battle for his federal black lung benefits, which were recently contested by a coal operator.
This struggle is shared by many other miners grappling with long delays and appeals in a system that has seen a surge in black lung cases, reaching a 50-year high according to recent data. The Trump administration's push to revive the coal industry has exacerbated the situation, with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) delaying a silica dust rule crucial for miner safety.
The government accountability office (GAO) report highlights the frustration of miners, who are forced to wait years for approval and face resistance from coal operators during appeals. Armes' daughter, Crystal, criticizes the complex, costly process, emphasizing that the law should not allow coal companies to contest benefits once awarded.
Among 53,000 closed claims between 2013 and August 2024, 11 cases took over a decade to resolve, indicating the systemic challenges faced by miners in obtaining fair compensation.
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