WHEELING -- A state inspector is suing the owners of a mine where he was injured by a miner.
Chester Slone Jr. and his wife Tonya Slone filed a complaint June 5 in Ohio Circuit Court against Consolidation Coal Co. and Murray American Energy Inc., both of Delaware, the Ohio County Coal Co. of Ohio, and John Vinesky.
Before Dec. 5, 2013, Consol operated several coal mines in West Virginia, and after that date, Murray Energy bought several coal mines around the state from Consol. Shoemaker Mine was one of those mines, the lawsuit states, and Vinesky was employed by that operation.
Chester Slone, a safety and health inspector for the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration Administration, was assigned at the time to District 3 in St. Clairsville, Ohio.
While inspecting Shoemaker Mine on Dec. 5, 2013, the plaintiff was traveling "the eight south right section of the mine," the lawsuit states. Meanwhile, Vinesky and others were working on a rock dusting machine in the same area.
The lawsuit states that when the plaintiff walked past the machine, Vinesky allegedly "reached out with his arm and impacted plaintiff's groin area, causing serious bodily injury."
The plaintiffs, citing injury, pain and suffering, medical expenses and loss of consortium, seek unspecified punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney's fees and court costs.
The plaintiff is represented by Brian L. Ooten of Shaffer and Shaffer PLLC in Madison.
Ohio mCircuit Court case number 15C169.
