# SSR 72-65: SSR 72-65: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- SECTION 412(b) (30 U.S.C. 922(b)). -- BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT OF MINER'S DEATH -- REDUCTION INAPPLICABLE

> Federal · Rulings · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_65

## Section

- **Citation:** SSR 72-65
- **Heading:** SSR 72-65: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- SECTION 412(b) (30 U.S.C. 922(b)). -- BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT OF MINER'S DEATH -- REDUCTION INAPPLICABLE
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Rulings
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Social Security Rulings / DI / Black Lung Benefits / SSR 72-65

## Text

20 CFR 410.520

SSR 72-65

Advice has been requested as to whether State workmen's compensation
benefits paid on account of the death of an employee to his survivors
constitute benefits paid "on account of the disability of such miner," and
thereby subject to the reduction provision of section 412(b) of the
Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended (30 U.S.C.
922(b)).

Section 412(b) of such Act provides in pertinent part that:

Workmen's compensation statutes typically provide not only for
compensating employees for occupationally-related injury or disease, but
also for compensating the survivors of a deceased employee for his
occupationally-related death.

Part B of Title IV of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of
1969, as amended, similarly provides benefits not only for miners, but
also for their survivors. Section 412(b), as quoted above, requires the
reduction of either type of benefit on account of any State workmen's
compensation payment received "on account of the disability of such
miner." The absence of a specific reduction provision aimed expressly at
State payments received on account of the death of the miner, the type of
State payments a survivor entitled to Black Lung Benefits would be most
likely to receive, supports the view that death payments were not intended
to be included within the term "disability." This approach reflects the
familiar maxim of statutory construction that if one particular is
expressed, other particulars are intended to be excluded.

On the other hand, death may be regarded the ultimate "disability," and
it may be argued that in this broader sense, the term "disability"
encompasses payments on account of death, as well. Although this view is
plausible, it may be demonstrated that it is not the one intended by
Congress.
y construction that if one particular is
expressed, other particulars are intended to be excluded.

On the other hand, death may be regarded the ultimate "disability," and
it may be argued that in this broader sense, the term "disability"
encompasses payments on account of death, as well. Although this view is
plausible, it may be demonstrated that it is not the one intended by
Congress.

Part C of Title If the Act, which is to be administered after 1973 by the
Department of Labor in conjunction with the several States, includes a
reduction provision in section 422(g) analogous to section 412(b). The
comparison of the two parallel provisions is revealing. Thus, section
422(g) provides that:

Here, Congress specifically provided that compensation payments "because
of death" should result in reduction. Its failure similarly to so provide
in section 412(b) should not lightly be ascribed to inadvertence. When
Congress did not expressly provide in section 412(b) that State payments
received n account of the death of the miner should result in the same
reduction as payments made on account of his disability, it must be
concluded that it did not intend to do so.

In view of the liberal construction usually afforded to remedial
legislation generally and to workmen's compensation statutes in
particular, and in view of the considerations discussed above, the better
view of the reduction provisions of section 412(b) is that, in extending
to payments made on account of the disability of the miner, they do not
thereby also extend to payments made on account of his death.

Accordingly, it is held that payments made under State workmen's
compensation laws on account of the miner's death are not subject to the
reduction provision of section 412(b) of the Act, supra, and will not
affect the Black Lung Benefits otherwise payable to his survivors.
on account of the disability of the miner, they do not
thereby also extend to payments made on account of his death.

Accordingly, it is held that payments made under State workmen's
compensation laws on account of the miner's death are not subject to the
reduction provision of section 412(b) of the Act, supra, and will not
affect the Black Lung Benefits otherwise payable to his survivors.

The preceding discussion and holding refer only to cases where State
workmen's compensation payments are made to a survivor on account of the
miner's death. They do not apply to State workmen's compensation
disability payments which accrued to the miner while he was living but
which, because of his death prior to receipt, are paid instead to his
survivors.

## Nearby sections

- [SSR 71-30 SSR 71-30: SECTIONS 413(a), 413(b), AND 422(d), FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969; SECTIONS 223(a), 223(b), and 224(a), SOCIAL SECURITY ACT -- DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS -- BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- MONTHLY PAYMENT PERIOD](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_71_30.md)
- [SSR 72-8 SSR 72-8: SECTIONS 413(a), 414(a) and (c). -- FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969 -- CLAIM FOR BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- FILING AS PREREQUISITE FOR ENTITLEMENT -- PROTECTIVE FILING DATE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_8.md)
- [SSR 72-41 SSR 72-41: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969 -- SECTION 412(b), (30 U.S.C. 922(b)) -- DISABILITY BENEFITS PAID UNDER STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION LAW AFTER MINER'S DEATH -- PENNSYLVANIA](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_41.md)
- [SSR 72-42 SSR 72-42: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT -- SECTION 413(c) -- (30 U.S.C. 923(c)). -- FUTILITY OF FILING STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION CLAIM WHERE BENEFITS ARE RECEIVED UNDER RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT OR FEDERAL EMPLOYERS LIABILITY ACT](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_42.md)
- [SSR 72-65 SSR 72-65: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- SECTION 412(b) (30 U.S.C. 922(b)). -- BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT OF MINER'S DEATH -- REDUCTION INAPPLICABLE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_65.md)
- [SSR 72-66 SSR 72-66: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- SECTION 412(b) (30 U.S.C. 922(b)) -- REDUCTIONS -- STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION DEATH BENEFITS -- KENTUCKY](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_66.md)
- [SSR 73-24 SSR 73-24: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- SECTIONS 402(d) AND 411(c) (30 U.S.C. 901) -- CLAIM FOR BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- SERVICES AS "EMPLOYEE" A PREREQUISITE TO ELIGIBILITY FOR MINER'S BENEFITS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_73_24.md)
- [SSR 73-36 SSR 73-36: SECTION 402(f) (30 USC 901) -- FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969 AS AMENDED -- MINER'S DEATH RESULTING FROM COAL MINE ACCIDENT WHILE REGULARLY AND GAINFULLY EMPLOYED -- ESTABLISHMENT OF WIDOW'S ENTITLEMENT TO BLACK LUNG BENEFITS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_73_36.md)
- [SSR 73-37 SSR 73-37: Rescinded 1979](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_73_37.md)
- [SSR 73-38 SSR 73-38: Rescinded 1979](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_73_38.md)
- [SSR 74-32 SSR 74-32: SECTIONS 414(a) and 415(a) (30 U.S.C. 924(a) and 925(a), et seq.) -- FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969 AS AMENDED -- SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION JURISDICTION FOR PAYMENT OF PART B MINERS' BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- WHEN REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTITLEMENT MUST BE MET](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_74_32.md)
- [SSR 74-33 SSR 74-33: SECTION 412(a)(5) (30 U.S.C 901) -- FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- CONDITIONS FOR ENTITLEMENT FOR SIBLING](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_74_33.md)
- [SSR 75-5 SSR 75-5: SECTIONS 411(b) and 413(b) (30 U.S.C. 921(b) and 923(b)) -- FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- CLAIM FOR BLACK LUNG BENEFITS -- EVALUATION OF CHEST ROENTGENOGRAPHIC (X-RAY) EVIDENCE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_75_5.md)
- [SSR 75-10 SSR 75-10: FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED -- SECTION 414(d) (30 U.S.C. 924(d)). -- EFFECT OF BLACK LUNG "MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT" PROVISION-REDUCTION OF STATE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION BENEFITS DUE TO RECEIPT OF PERIODIC DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_75_10.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_65. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.
