# Plain Language Summary: Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2021

This bill makes it easier for families of coal miners to get death benefits when a miner dies from pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung disease. The main change is that if a miner was totally disabled from black lung disease while alive, the government will now assume that the disease caused their death unless the coal company can prove otherwise. Previously, survivors had to prove the disease caused the death, which was much harder. This shift in burden of proof means more surviving spouses, children, and dependents should be able to receive the financial support they're entitled to without fighting as hard to prove their case.

The bill also creates a new program to help pay for attorney fees and medical expenses that families incur while fighting for their benefits. When a case takes longer than a year to resolve, attorneys can now get paid up to $1,500 to $3,000 depending on the stage of the case, and families can get reimbursed up to $3,000 for medical costs they paid out of pocket to support their claim. The government will cover these costs upfront, though if the coal company is ultimately found responsible, they'll have to repay the government. This removes a major financial barrier that often prevents struggling families from hiring lawyers to help them navigate the complicated benefits process.

Finally, the bill requires a government study to examine whether current black lung benefits are adequate for miners and their families, how the process of recouping interim payments affects people financially and emotionally, and whether survivors should be allowed to file new claims after their first claim is decided. These studies will help Congress understand whether additional reforms are needed to better support mining families dealing with this serious occupational disease.

Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2021

Warner, Mark R.

Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2021 This bill creates, for the purpose of claims for black lung benefits, a rebuttable presumption that a deceased miner's death was caused by black lung disease if such miner was totally disabled due to black lung disease. It also establishes a program to pay up to a maximum of $4,500 in attorney fees and $3,000 in medical expenses incurred while establishing such claims.