What You Need To Know To Sue A Coal Mining Company After An Accident

Working as a coal miner is one of the most dangerous jobs you can have. The potential for injury or even death on the job is very high and while miners know the risks going into the job, this doesn't mean they can't expect a reasonable amount of protection from accidents or injuries while working. This means the mining company is responsible for ensuring that worksites are as safe as possible.

Mining companies have a responsibility to keep equipment well maintained and that all conditions within the mine are well within safety limits. What happens if you are injured or a loved one was killed while working in a mine? You might be able to sue the mining company after an accident in certain cases.

Here is what you need to know about suing a mining company after an accident.

Certain Circumstances Must Be Met

Certain circumstances must be met in order to sue a mining company. Working as a coal miner is dangerous and if you were injured due to something you did on your own such as not maintaining your own tools properly, or a slip and fall due to not paying attention, you most likely won't be able to sue the company.

However, there are certain circumstances in which you could potentially sue a coal mining company. For example, if there are unsafe working conditions that can present a high risk of injury or even death, even if they haven't yet been reported to the company, you could sue the mining company.

A company is responsible for maintaining their equipment properly and ensuring the mine shafts are safe on a daily basis. If they don't take the time or effort to ensure a safe workplace, you could sue them for negligence.

If the mining company didn't follow the state or federal laws or regulations surrounding operations in the mine and didn't uphold the safety regulations in the mine that lead to the accident, you could sue them for negligence. They could potentially be charged with crimes if the accident was serious enough such as an explosion, collapse, or flooding that lead to multiple deaths.

If the mining company intentionally exposed workers to dangerous conditions and this lead to injury or death, you have a case to sue the mining company. When dangerous conditions have been reported to superiors and there is documentation to prove that these conditions have existed for some time with no attempt to improve them, or even that the company didn't improve conditions and still expected workers to enter those conditions, they can be held responsible for any damages caused.

For more information, reach out to a coal miner injury attorney in an area near you.