Republic Steel Corp. v. Commonwealth

Opinion by

Judge Williams, Jr.,

This is an appeal by Republic Steel Corporation (Republic) from an order of the Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board affirming a referee’s award of compensation to respondent Ira V. Leasure (claimant) for total disability due to coal miner’s pneumoconiosis or “black lung.”1

The claimant was employed by various coal mining *115companies from 1926 to 1974. For Republic he worked as a shuttle car operator in coal mines from September, 1951, to January 31, 1974, when he retired.

In April, 1973, the claimant applied for federal “black lung” benefits, but that application was…