A Terrible Tragedy in a Raleigh County Mine
A tragic mining accident in Raleigh County has left one worker fatally injured. According to the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, the coal miner was found dead in a stockpile Monday afternoon.
James Ray Adkins, 48, of Colcord, was reported missing at the Marfork Coal Company’s Horse Creek Eagle Deep Mine near Clear Creek Monday morning. His body was found a few hours later in a raw coal stockpile at the Marfork Processing Plant near Pettus, authorities said. Marfork Coal is a subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources.
Adkins was a belt man and fire boss at the mine.
The death of Mr. Adkins marks the 14th mining related death in the nation this year including seven in West Virginia.
Mining is an extremely dangerous job and it is up to everyone involved to remain vigilant in their approach to mine safety in order to keep our miners safe. It is left up to the mining company to implement and carry out safety measures. This includes training workers, making sure all machines are functioning properly, the environment is safe and structurally sound and that safety gear is being used. Mistakes can be made, but in many cases the company may be at fault for failing to develop and implement the necessary safety precautions needed to keep their workers safe. When looking to cut corners and costs, the mining company may fail to be as thorough as they should. When the mining company’s negligence leads to the death of a miner, their family needs to protect their rights and seek compensation for damages. The death of a loved one can be devastating and mining companies should be held liable to pay damages. Do you have a loved one that has been killed while carrying out the functions of their position? Turn to a West Virginia personal injury attorney from our firm for exceptional handling of your case. The compassionate and skilled mining accident attorneys at Bailey Javins & Carter speak the language of the mining industry. We have more than 40 years of experience getting compensation for victims of West Virginia coal mine accidents. We know the dangers involved in working in a coal mine and that safety measures should never be sidestepped. Contact our office at (304) 345-0346.
