Life on the Ridge
Josh spent 38 years in the coal industry, primarily working as a surface miner in Virginia and West Virginia. He did it all, from running dozers and loaders to driving rock trucks, often in grueling conditions where the dust was so thick it would cover the cab by noon. For many years, he even worked in open cabs where the fans would blow that very dust right back onto him. It was a dangerous job, once even involving a lightning strike that knocked him into his seat, but it was the only work available back home at the time.
“I started mining around 19 years old and I got 38 years in the mine industry. I run open cab for years there before I even got an enclosed cab.”
The Technicality Trap
After a lifetime of exposure to silica and coal dust, Josh was eventually diagnosed with black lung and silicosis. He was initially awarded benefits in the early 2010s, which provided a medical card and financial support that his family desperately needed. However, that security was short-lived. In 2014, a coal company appeal led to his benefits being revoked on a technicality related to a breathing test he was physically unable to complete. Now, at 73, he relies on oxygen 24/7 and faces a mounting pile of medical bills that the coal company refuses to cover.
“They used that one test against me because he didn’t complete it even though he physically was not able to complete it.”
A Legacy of Perseverance
Josh’s daughter, Crystal, has taken up the mantle of this fight after her mother passed away in 2023. For over 15 years, the family has been stuck on what they call a merry-go-round of frustration, dealing with law firms that missed deadlines and corporate lawyers looking for any loophole to avoid paying out. Crystal believes the company is simply playing a waiting game, hoping her father will not be around to see the end of the litigation. Despite the setbacks and the thousands of dollars in back pay they may never see, they refuse to give up because the fight for justice is what keeps them going.
“They fight you tooth and nail. It is exhausting. They make it so difficult for you to apply and then finding a lawyer to take your case is just one of the hurdles.”
Want to hear the full, raw story of Josh’s journey and Crystal’s mission for justice? Check out the original conversation below to see the face behind the fight.
