Around noon on August 6th, a mining accident in Harlan County, Kentucky at the Huff Creek mine was reported. According to authorities 56-year-old Lenny Gilliam was killed in the accident and two others, Terry Scott and Johnny Nantz were injured.
State investigators are reporting that around noon a coal pillar near the three men burst in the underground mine. The coal in that pillar blew out and injured the men who were initially trapped but later rescued wherein Gilliam was pronounced dead.
The investigation of the accident will continue and the President of Lone Mountain Processing, who operated the mine, said they will cooperate with the investigation to determine the cause of the deadly workplace accident. This is the second fatal mining accident in Kentucky this year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there were 27 fatal mining accidents in 2007 and on average when a mining worker is injured they are away from work for 31 days. Furthermore, in 2010 there were 15,500 recordable mining injuries and illnesses reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a mining accident and are seeking workers compensation benefits you are being denied, the attorneys at Greg Coleman law can help you fight for your rights. Contact one of our skilled workers' compensation lawyers in Knoxville today at (865) 247-0080 to learn more about how we may be able to help you with your workers compensation claim.
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