Opinion ID: 3000589
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Rebuttal of the Interim Presumption

Text: Zeigler further submits that the interim presumption was rebutted, and, therefore, it was error to award benefits to Mr. Griskell. The regulations provide four means by which an employer may rebut the interim presumption.8 If the evidence establishes that the total disability of the miner did not arise in whole or in part out of coal mine 8 The first two means by which an employee may rebut the interim presumption, by (1) demonstrating that the miner is engaged in his usual coal mine or comparable work; or (2) showing that he is capable of performing his usual or comparable duties, 20 C.F.R. § 727.203(b), are not available to Zeigler in this case. It is uncontested, on this record, that Mr. Griskell no longer works in a coal mine and further that he is disabled permanently. Therefore, we consider only the third and fourth means by which Zeigler may rebut the interim presumption in this opinion. No. 06-1248 17 employment, the presumption is rebutted. 20 C.F.R. § 727.203(b)(3). If the evidence establishes that the miner does not have pneumoconiosis, the interim presumption also falls. 20 C.F.R. § 727.203(b)(4). The employer bears the burden of presenting evidence to rebut the interim presumption by a preponderance of the evidence. 20 C.F.R. § 727.203(b). Therefore, Zeigler must demonstrate either that Mr. Griskell’s disability is not due in whole or in part to his exposure to coal dust or that he in fact does not have pneumoconiosis. See Vigna, 22 F.3d at 1393. Zeigler submits that Mr. Griskell ceased working in the coal mines because he stole from his employer and not due to pneumoconiosis.9 Though Mr. Griskell may have been fired from Zeigler due to this theft, the regulations require only that the disability of the miner arise in part out of coal mine employment. 20 C.F.R. § 727.203(b)(3). Therefore, even if Mr. Griskell was fired for stealing from Zeigler, this does not preclude the possibility that Mr. Griskell is disabled permanently by pneumoconiosis as required under the BLBA. This evidence might explain why Mr. Griskell’s employment with Zeigler was terminated, but, on this record, Mr. Griskell is incapable of working at any coal mine due to his pneumoconiosis. Zeigler also claims that Mr. Griskell was totally disabled by a back injury and not by pneumoconiosis. We must bear in mind, however, that the miner’s pneumoconiosis need be only a “contributing cause of his total disability.” Shonk, 906 F.2d at 271-72 (internal citations and quotation marks omitted); see also Compton, 933 F.2d at 483 (stating that “so long as the ALJ concludes that, based on the medical 9 Appellant’s Br. at 22. 18 No. 06-1248 evidence, pneumoconiosis is a contributing cause of a miner’s disability, the miner will recover benefits”). Zeigler relies upon two decisions of this court in support of its contention that, because Mr. Griskell suffered a back injury, he is ineligible to receive black lung benefits. See Vigna, 22 F.3d at 1394 (holding that a miner disabled by stroke could not receive benefits under the BLBA where medical opinions in the record cited the stroke as the cause of the miner’s disability); see also Freeman United Coal Mining Co. v. Foster, 30 F.3d 834, 839 (7th Cir. 1994) (involving medical evidence demonstrating that miner was not disabled by respiratory impairments but rather that disability was due to only a back injury). Unlike Vigna and Foster, the medical evidence in this record, as discussed above, supports the contention that Mr. Griskell has been disabled permanently due to pneumoconiosis. Dr. Castle prepared an independent medical review of Mr. Griskell on March 4, 1996, in which he stated that “[Mr. Griskell] may be disabled because of back problems and coronary artery disease.” Employer’s Ex. No. 29, Hearing July 15, 1997, at 1. This statement alone does not suffice to rebut the presumption of total disability due to pneumoconiosis. As we have stated above, the record contains more than ample evidence that pneumoconiosis contributed to Mr. Griskell’s permanent disability. Zeigler, therefore, has failed to demonstrate affirmatively the proposition that Mr. Griskell was permanently disabled by his back injury. The ALJ, crediting the opinions of Drs. Hessl and Barnett, concluded that Mr. Griskell was disabled, at least in part, due to pneumoconiosis. We find this determination to be supported by substantial evidence. Finally, we see no problem in the ALJ’s determination of the date of onset of Mr. Griskell’s disability as December No. 06-1248 19 1981. This determination is governed by 20 C.F.R. § 727.503, which provides that benefits are payable from the date of onset of total disability due to coal workers’ pneumoconiosis. The ALJ noted correctly that the record does not establish the exact date of onset of Mr. Griskell’s total disability due to pneumoconiosis. Mr. Griskell filed his initial claim for benefits with the United States Department of Labor in January 1976. Although the Department of Labor initially found Mr. Griskell was entitled to benefits, it subsequently notified him that, due to Zeigler’s submission of an additional medical examination, it was reversing the award of benefits. Mr. Griskell sought review of this claim in December 1981. On January 28, 1993, the Board determined that Mr. Griskell’s December 1981 letter should have been treated as a request for modification. The regulations state that the date of request for modification controls when determining the date upon which benefits commence. 20 C.F.R. § 725.503(b). Therefore, the ALJ appropriately determined December 1981 to be the date of onset. C. Evidence on the Progressivity or Latency of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis Finally, Zeigler contends that the ALJ impermissibly declined to admit evidence regarding the progressivity or latency of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis. We previously have held that both the latency and progressivity of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis are legislative facts. See Peabody 20 No. 06-1248 Coal v. Spese, 117 F.3d 1001, 1010 (7th Cir. 1997)10 (“In the end, the question whether simple pneumoconiosis can progress in the absence of further exposure to coal dust is a question of legislative fact.”) (citing Menora v. Illinois High Sch. Ass’n, 683 F.2d 1030, 1036 (7th Cir. 1982)). We also have stated that “[t]he Director . . . has long believed in the progressivity of pneumoconiosis,” and have noted that the Board found that “pneumoconiosis is a progressive and irreversible disease.” Id. (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). Furthermore, a claimant is not required to prove that he suffers from the specific varieties of pneumoconiosis the medical literature has found to be progressive or latent. Midland Coal Co. v. Dir., Office of Workers’ Comp. Programs, et al., 358 F.3d 486, 490-91 (7th Cir. 2004). We therefore conclude that the ALJ did not err in declining to admit evidence on latency and progressivity.