BMH to hold free black lung outreach in Williamson, WV on July 26th

The Black Lung Center at Boone Memorial Hospital will hold a free outreach event on Friday, July 26th to help miners complete their federal black lung claims. The outreach will be held at the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Williamson Campus, in Mingo County.

Those attending should bring proof of their coal mining employment: (W-2’s, pay stubs, or employment letters), work history with approximate dates of employment including name and company (NOTE: Do not get social security record due to expense), a certified copy of their marriage certificate, spouse’s social security number and date of birth, copy of divorce decree (if applicable) and copy of birth certificate and Social Security number for self and all dependents. The Black Lung Center is located on the Boone Memorial Hospital campus in Madison, West Virginia. The center holds various outreach events, like these, across the State of West Virginia. In addition to helping miners file claims, The Black Lung Center at Boone Memorial Hospital performs B-Read chest x-rays (specific to black lung), spirometry testing to determine breathing capacity, EKG’s, exercise stress tests and a complete physical by a physician. The completion of claims application and the initial testing, as described above, are completely free to the miner.

The Black Lung Center has been open just over a year and tested over 1,000 miners, several of whom have been awarded their federal black lung benefits.

For more information about the outreach event or testing please call the Black Lung Center at 304-369-8825.