Lauderdale ex rel. Lauderdale v. Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Program

After wending its way through the statutory and regulatory black lung benefits scheme for more than two decades, this claim for benefits is before us on appeal from a decision of the Benefits Review Board (the Board), which reversed a decision of an administrative law judge (ALJ). Because the decision of the AU was not supported by substantial evidence in the record as a whole, we affirm the Board’s decision.

Background

This claim is pressed by Dallas Lauder-dale, the son of the deceased miner, Anderson Lauderdale (Lauderdale), who originally filed the claim. The Department of Labor has already…