This bill makes it easier for survivors of coal miners to obtain death benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act by loosening the standards of proof required to claim that a miner's death resulted from pneumoconiosis (a lung disease caused by coal dust exposure). Specifically, the legislation creates legal presumptions that a miner's death was caused by pneumoconiosis if the miner had worked in coal mines for at least 10 years or was totally disabled by the disease before death, shifting the burden to employers to prove otherwise. The bill also establishes a new payment program to cover attorneys' fees (up to $4,500 per case) and unreimbursed medical expenses (up to $3,000 per case) for claimants pursuing contested benefits, with these costs initially paid from a federal fund and later recouped from liable coal operators. These changes apply retroactively to claims filed within the past five years that are still pending. Additionally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study interim benefit payments, current benefit adequacy, and potential changes to allow survivors to file multiple claims, with reports due within one year.
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