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. 1986 Jan;76(1):58–61. doi: 10.2105/ajph.76.1.58

Compensation for occupational disease with multiple causes: the case of coal miners' respiratory diseases.

J L Weeks, G R Wagner
PMCID: PMC1646404  PMID: 2933965

Abstract

Many diseases associated with occupational exposures are clinically indistinguishable from diseases with non-occupational causes. Given this, how are fair decisions made about eligibility for compensation? This problem is discussed in relation to the federal black lung program. Conflicting definitions of terms--coal workers' pneumoconiosis as defined by the medical profession, pneumoconiosis as defined by the United States Congress, and the popular term, black lung--are important considerations in this discussion. Each is embedded in different logical interpretations of the causes of occupational disease and of disability. Alternative views are presented and critically discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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