‘Do you have to be dead?’: US coalminers plead for benefits as black-lung disease cases surge

Coalminers in the US are facing a severe crisis as cases of black-lung disease, caused by inhaling coal dust, have reached a 50-year high. This surge in pneumoconiosis cases is putting a significant burden on the healthcare system and the miners themselves, who often struggle to access benefits they are entitled to. The situation is particularly dire for retired miners like Josh Armes, who spent 38 years working in coal mines in West Virginia and Virginia before being diagnosed with black lung disease at the age of 74.

Why it matters

The surge in black-lung disease cases is causing benefit delays for coal miners. This is affecting their livelihood and well-being.

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