Thursday, October 06, 2005

coal companies and the common law

it is a rare day when a coal company is made to pay...

Virgie couple awarded nearly $1 million
BY RACHEL C. STANLEY (NEWS EDITOR)

A Pike County couple who accused a coal company of wrongfully mining their land were awarded nearly $1 million Monday in Pike Circuit Court.

According to court documents, a jury found that Premier Elkhorn Coal and TECO Coal, both based in Corbin, must pay $880,000 in punitive damages, as well as $88,000 in compensatory damages, to Bobby and Nell Ruth Spears of Virgie.

"I think this jury just wanted to say that everyone -individuals and coal companies - have to follow the law or pay the consequences," said the Spears' attorney, Herman Lester.

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