The recent indictment of Don Blankenship is rare. So rare in fact that it marks the first time the former CEO of a mining company has faced federal charges for negligence. By and large, the operators of coal mines are able to continue production in the face of serious safety violations with little to...

According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the number of mine operators who chronically violate safety regulations has dropped sharply in the past few years. During inspections, mines that pose that largest safety risks are placed on the government’s Patterns of Violations list. In 2010, 51 mine operators were placed on that list....

According to a recent study performed by a Stanford University law professor, union coal mines are statistically safer than non-union mining operations. The professor found that there were significantly less serious mining injuries and deaths at underground mines where the employees were members of the United Mine Works union. The report was published by the...

Those of us who live in this area have coal miners in our families or we know someone who does. The personal injury attorneys and legal staff at Hewitt & Salvatore, PLLC send our condolences to the families and friends of those who lost loved ones that fateful day last week. At the time of...