$5M in Claims Filed Against Montana Coal Company Include Family of Worker

The family of a fallen miner is among those in Montana trying to collect more than $5 million from a coal company that’s working through bankruptcy proceedings.

Also trying to collect are county governments, and dentists.

The Billings Gazette reported Westmoreland Coal Co., which owns three mines in the state, declared bankruptcy in October with more than $1.4 billion in debt.

The family of a Rosebud Mine employee has a $3 million claim against the Colorado-based company in bankruptcy court. Michael Ramsey was killed in 2017 when his coal truck detached from a wall.

Big Horn and Treasure counties have claims against the company for property taxes while Montana Dakota Utilities filed a nearly $137,000 claim for electricity.

There also are several claims by First Interstate Bank and two by Billings dentists.