Consolidation Coal Company v. Arthur O. Held Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor

Consol disputes the ALJ’s determination that Arthur 0. Held, a coal miner for nearly forty years, is entitled to benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act, 30 U.S.C. §§ 901 et seq. There is no doubt that Held suffers from severe, pulmonary-related illnesses. Medical experts disagree, however, on the cause of his condition. Some doctors believe that Held’s disability is due solely to his forty-year history as a pack-a-day smoker. Others conclude that both his smoking and his decades of work in the coal mines are responsible.

In a thirty-seven page opinion, the ALJ considered all of the…