The Coal Miners of West Virginia
By Segal Law Firm
Nov. 3, 2010 3:25p
John Peter Salley was the first to discover coal in West Virginia in 1742, in what is Boone County today. West Virginia's coal production is essential to both our great Nation's economy and the livelihood of the hard working men and women of West Virginia. 53 of our 55 counties produce coal, with the exception of Jefferson and Hardy in the eastern panhandle. West Virginia boasts 117 named coal seams, sixty five of those are minable and Wes Virginia has 4% of all coal reserves.
Each year, 28 of West Virginia counties produce coal. The Pittsburgh coal seam produced 31 million tons of coal in 2009 and McDowell County produced more coal than any other county in the state. In 2009, underground mines produced 87 million tons of coal and surface mines produced 56 million tons with over 43 million tons coming from Mountain Top mining. All together, West Virginia produced a whopping 144 million tons of coal, making West Virginia, the nation's leader in underground coal production.
The Hard Workers
With so much coal production in West Virginia, it requires a lot of hard work from the men and women of the state. Many families depend on the jobs provided to them by West Virginia's mining companies. The West Virginia coal industry provides about 30,000 jobs to its locals annually. Since West Virginia gets 99% of its electrical power from coal and coal provides the majority of electrical power in 32 of our states, these jobs are very important.
Unfortunately, working for a coal mining company can be very dangerous. On January 2, 2006, the Sago Mine disaster claimed the lives of 12 miners. On April 5, 2010, 29 coal miners lost their lives due to an explosion. It is assumed in the industry that most coal mining accidents can be prevented and it is the responsibility of the company to ensure that it follows all safety regulations. Safety violations are all too commonplace and they put the worker's lives in danger. If you or a loved one have been injured, or lost their life as a result of a coal mining accident, a West Virginia coal mine accident attorney at the Segal Law Firm can help. When it's you up against the big coal companies, having an aggressive personal injury attorney will help ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact a West Virginia Coal Mine Accident Lawyer at our firm for a free consultation.
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