Two widows are asking West Virginia’s Supreme Court to allow them to sue federal mine inspectors for their husbands’ deaths.
Delorice Bragg and Freda Hatfield allege that the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration should have detected dangerous conditions at Massey Energy’s Aracoma Alma No. 1 mine.
Don Bragg and Ellery Elvis Hatfield died in the Logan County mine during a 2006 fire. Massey and its subsidiary later agreed to pay $4.2 million in criminal fines and civil penalties.
The Supreme Court is holding a hearing Wednesday before answering the liability question for the widows’ federal lawsuit.
Federal lawyers argue that state law does not allow a claim against MSHA given the facts of the case.
The widows settled with the company for undisclosed terms in 2008.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Canceled FEMA Review Council Vote Leaves Flood Insurance Reforms in Limbo 
These Five Technologies Increase The Risk of Cyber Claims 
LA County Told to Pause $4B in Abuse Payouts as DA Probes Fraud Claims 
Hackers Hit Sensitive Targets in 37 Nations in Spying Plot 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.