Central Appalachian Coal Company v. Dowcp

Summary

The court denied Central Appalachian Coal Company’s petition for review and upheld the award of black lung benefits to Richard Estudillo. It held that substantial evidence supported the findings that Estudillo had legal pneumoconiosis arising from coal mine employment and that the disease substantially contributed to his total disability. The court concluded that the ALJ permissibly evaluated and discounted conflicting medical opinions without shifting the claimant’s burden of proof or reweighing the evidence. No separate opinions were filed.