Almost six years after twelve workers died in the Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia, the families of six of the men who lost their lives have finally settled wrongful death lawsuits with the owner of the mine, Wolf Run Mining Company, as well as several other related defendants.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed to the public. The wrongful death suits would have gone to trial this spring if an agreement had not been reached. The families of the other men killed in the accident have already agreed to settlements. The one surviving man, Randal McCloy Jr., has settled his West Virginia personal injury suit already as well.
In January 2006, a coalmine explosion in the Sago Mine caused a collapse that trapped 13 miners underground for almost two days – only one man survived the on-the-job accident. Just a year before the accident, the Mine Safety and Health Administration had cited the mine for hundreds of violations and dozens of serious safety violations.
A number of organizations investigated the fatal mining accident. Investigators found that the explosion could have been caused by a number of sources, including sparks from machinery or even a lightening strike. The investigations also revealed a number of safety violations, including the use of foam seals rather than concrete seals.
Though this accident took place in 2006, the Virginia wrongful death attorneys at Shapiro & Appleton& Duffan understand the lasting effect that a tragedy of this scope has on families and the community. Our thoughts are still with you.