The Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation (DCMWC) launched the Claimant Online Access Link (C.O.A.L.) Mine (electronic document submission) Portal in 2016. The tool allows claimants, responsible operators, insurance companies, medical providers, and benefits counselors to electronically submit documents to existing black lung case files. Beginning March 2024, new applications for benefits may also be submitted, including survivor applications. Electronically submitted applications and documents will be available to DCMWC claims staff within 4 hours of submission, thus eliminating the delays associated with postal mail.
DCMWC stakeholders can access the C.O.A.L. Mine portal by visiting the website at: https://coalmine.dol.gov/. To submit a document to an existing case file using the C.O.A.L. Mine portal, users will need the DCMWC Case ID number, the claimant’s last name and the claimant’s date of birth. (A DCMWC Case ID number is assigned after a claimant files his or her claim by sending a Form CM-911, CM-911a, or Form CM-912 to the DCMWC Central Mail Room in London, Kentucky). Stakeholders may submit medical reports, employment forms, extension requests and other documents to DCMWC by uploading them directly into the C.O.A.L. Mine portal. The system assigns each submitted document a Document Control Number (DCN), which can be used to track the document’s status.
To submit an application for benefits, including survivor applications, the claimant must create an OWCP Connect account and complete the identify-proofing process. More information is available here.
DCMWC is committed to providing excellent customer service to our stakeholders. The use of the C.O.A.L. Mine portal is voluntary. If you do not wish to electronically upload applications or documents into the portal, you may continue to mail documents to the Central Mail Room or bring documents to the District Office servicing your claim. Please include the DCMWC Case ID number on all documents. The address for the Central Mail Room is:
U.S. Department of Labor OWCP/DCMWC
P.O. Box 8307
London, KY 40742-8307
You can access the C.O.A.L. Mine portal directly at:
The C.O.A.L. Mine portal website contains detailed instructions for submitting documents electronically. Detailed steps for submitting new applications are available here. If you have questions regarding the C.O.A.L. Mine portal or problems uploading documents, please contact the District Office handling the claim.