# 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 > Federal · Rulings · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_66 ## Section - **Citation:** SSR 72-66 - **Heading:** 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 - **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 72-66 ## Text 20 CFR 410.520 SSR 72-66 A question has been raised as to whether compensation paid to a miner's widow under § 342.070, Kentucky Revised Statutes, because of the death of her husband, constitutes payment under the Kentucky workmen's compensation, unemployment, or disability insurance laws on account of the disability of the miner; if it does, such compensation would require a reduction in Black Lung benefits under section 412(b) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended. Section 342.070, Kentucky Revised Statutes, provides in pertinent part that where death of an employee results within two years from a compensable accident or occupational disease, certain burial expenses are payable, as well as compensation to persons wholly dependent on the deceased employee (among others). If death occurs as a result of the injury or an occupational disease after a period of total or partial disability, the period of disability must be deducted from the total period of compensation and the benefits paid thereunder from the maximum allowed by the statute for death. Section 342.075, Kentucky Revised Statutes, further provides in pertinent part: Section 412(b) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended (30 U.S.C. 922(b)), reads in pertinent part: This section is contained in part B of Title IV of the above Act. That part provides benefits not only for miners but also for their surviving widows llowed by the statute for death. Section 342.075, Kentucky Revised Statutes, further provides in pertinent part: Section 412(b) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended (30 U.S.C. 922(b)), reads in pertinent part: This section is contained in part B of Title IV of the above Act. That part provides benefits not only for miners but also for their surviving widows. It 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 a widow 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 interpretation also reflects the general principle of statutory construction that if only one specific item in a class of items is referred to in a statute, specific items not referred to are intended to be excluded therefrom. In view of the liberal construction usually afforded to remedial legislation generally and to workmen's compensation statutes in particular, 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. The Court of Appeals of Kentucky, the highest court of that State, has on many occasions rendered decisions on claims brought under sections 342.070 and 342.075, Kentucky Revised Statutes. In Proctor and Gamble Mfg. Co. et al v. Little , 357 S.W.2d 866 (1962), the Court of Appeals in referring to the Workmen's Compensation Laws, Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapt. 342, stated: is death. The Court of Appeals of Kentucky, the highest court of that State, has on many occasions rendered decisions on claims brought under sections 342.070 and 342.075, Kentucky Revised Statutes. In Proctor and Gamble Mfg. Co. et al v. Little , 357 S.W.2d 866 (1962), the Court of Appeals in referring to the Workmen's Compensation Laws, Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapt. 342, stated: In Reynolds Metal Co. v. Glass , 195 S.W.2d 280 (1946), the Court of Appeals set forth the purposes of the Kentucky Compensation Act, Kentucky Revised Statues, Chapt. 342, citing with approval an earlier decision, Blue Diamond Coal Co. v. Frazier , 229 Ky. 450, 17 S.W.2d 406, 407 (1929) which stated: The decisions of the Kentucky Court of Appeals indicate that compensation paid to dependents under section 342.070, Kentucky Revised Statutes, is not workmen's compensation for the disability of a worker but compensation to his dependents who have lost their legal rights to sue for his death at common law. Such compensation is for their own loss of maintenance and support on account of the worker's death. Thus, in the case of a miner's widow who is presumed to have been wholly dependent upon her husband, or is determined to have been dependent upon him under the statute, and accordingly is paid compensation on account of his death under section 342.070, Kentucky Revised Statutes, held , section 412(b) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended, does not require the amount of such death compensation to be offset against the widow's Black Lung benefits. ## 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) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SSA_SSR_DI_SSR_72_66. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.