(a) For the purpose of the Act, ``pneumoconiosis'' means a chronic
dust disease of the lung and its sequelae, including respiratory and
pulmonary impairments, arising out of coal mine employment. This
definition includes both medical, or ``clinical'', pneumoconiosis and
statutory, or ``legal'', pneumoconiosis.
(1) Clinical Pneumoconiosis. ``Clinical pneumoconiosis'' consists
of those diseases recognized by the medical community as
pneumoconioses, i.e., the conditions characterized by permanent
deposition of substantial amounts of particulate matter in the lungs
and the fibrotic reaction of the lung tissue to that deposition caused
by dust exposure in coal mine employment. This definition includes, but
is not limited to, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, anthracosilicosis,
anthracosis, anthrosilicosis, massive pulmonary fibrosis, silicosis or
silicotuberculosis, arising out of coal mine employment.
(2) Legal Pneumoconiosis. ``Legal pneumoconiosis'' includes any
chronic lung disease or impairment and its sequelae arising out of coal
mine employment. This definition includes, but is not limited to, any
chronic restrictive or obstructive pulmonary disease arising out of
coal mine employment.
(b) For purposes of this section, a disease ``arising out of coal
mine employment'' includes any chronic pulmonary disease or respiratory
or pulmonary impairment significantly related to, or substantially
aggravated by, dust exposure in coal mine employment.
(c) For purposes of this definition, ``pneumoconiosis'' is
recognized as a latent and progressive disease which may first become
detectable only after the cessation of coal mine dust exposure.
