Black Lung Widow Benefits
Coal mining is a dangerous job that can have health implications long after a person has stopped working in the coal mines. "Black lung widow" benefits provide monetary payments to people whose spouses have died of black lung disease. These benefits are also available to the dependent children of these deceased coal miners.
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Black Lung Disease
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Black lung disease, also called coal worker's pneumoconiosis and anthrosilicosis, is a type of lung disease. It is caused by breathing coal and graphite--a type of mineral--dust on a regular basis. It can also result from inhaling man-made carbon dust. Black lung disease causes a person's lungs to become inflamed and develop excess tissue. It may also cause lung cells and tissues to die. Its chief symptoms are persistent coughing and shortness of breath.
Treatment
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According to MedlinePlus, this disease is most common among people who are 50 years of age or older. There is no cure for black lung disease, but treatments may be used to help keep an affected person's airways open and unobstructed by mucous. Additionally, doctors may recommend pneumonia and influenza vaccines, as those with black lung disease may be more at risk of developing these infections. In some cases, the symptoms of black lung can be severe enough that the coal worker is unable to work and is considered disabled. Sometimes, the disease is severe enough to cause death.
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Compensation
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The Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA) ensures that coal miners who've been disabled by black lung disease can receive money and medical benefits through the Department of Labor. These benefits are intended to make meeting the expenses of daily living easier for those who suffer from the disease. If a coal miner dies because of the disease, his spouse is eligible for benefits, which are referred to as black lung widow benefits. His dependent children may be eligible for benefits as well.
Monthly Payments
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A widow of a coal miner who died from black lung disease--or due to health issues caused by the disease--may receive monetary benefits but would not be eligible for medical benefits. Monetary benefits are provided to eligible widows on a monthly basis. Benefit amounts may change each year and are posted on the Department of Labor website.
Application
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To apply for black lung widow benefits, a surviving spouse should contact the Department of Labor's Black Lung Office. Alternatively, spouses can contact the Social Security Administration to file claims. If a surviving spouse wants to receive benefits, and the deceased coal miner wasn't receiving black lung benefits before his death, the spouse may have to provide reasonable proof that the miner died of black lung.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
