Federal Officials say a Judge in Pennsylvania ruled a mining Company in Pennsylvania must pay $900,000 in fines for a explosion that killed a miner and resulted in criminal charges against three others.

The Department of Labor fines against the company are from a settlement order signed in the beginning of August.

The lawsuit came from a methane explosion that killed one miner at the Buck Mountain Mine in 2006.

The Mine Safety and health Administration found that the miner was killed when methane exploded in a under ventilated area.

The Administration claimed six of the ten violations related to the death were flagrant. They also said that mine operators must be held accountable for their failure to keep the miners safe.

R & D Coal Co. said they do not plan to file an appeal.

One of the mine’s owners and his son were charged with involuntary manslaughter. They plead no contest.

A third man was found guilty of blasting without a mining certificate.

The Buck Mountain Mine has been closed permanently.

By: South Carolina Workers Compensation Attorney Pete Strom

What is Workers’ Compensation?

Basically, it’s an insurance policy your employer must carry to make sure that employees injured at work can obtain necessary medical treatment and financial assistance for lost wages, plus additional compensation for any work-related injury, sickness, or disease that causes total or partial impairment to work. Workers’ compensation is available regardless of fault when the injury arises out of, and in the course of, employment.

By law, every South Carolina employer with four or more full-time employees must have workers compensation insurance.

The protection provided under the South Carolina Workers Comp Act is only the beginning of your right to compensation for a workplace injury.

Who qualifies for workmans’ comp benefits?

Any full-time employee (working for an employer with four or more employees) who has an employment related injury and needs medical attention should be covered under workers’ compensation insurance. It doesn’t matter if the injury was a complete accident or the fault of a co-worker.

The employee MUST notify his or her employer within 90 days of the injury or risk losing the right to benefits under workers compensation. (It is recommended that you record details of your accident and to whom you reported it.)

Migrant and seasonal farm workers are not covered under workman’s compensation insurance.

If it’s been more than 90 days since your work accident occurred, you may need help obtaining benefits for medical treatment and lost wages. You can contact The Strom Law Firm’s work injury lawyers to discuss the facts of your case at no charge.