Richard Maddox (Applicant) v Cowley Coalmines UK Ltd (Respondent) Supreme Court October 2023 Cowley Coalmines UK Ltd (CC-UK) is a medium sized company that mines and supplies coal to both commercial and domestic customers. The company employs 12 people, four of whom are involved in the actual mining activity. Richard Maddox is one of the four. Richard Maddox was an employee of CC-UK for 11 years before his retirement. He retired three years ago and is now 70 years of age. He was employed as a coal miner all his working life and, including CC-UK, worked for 3 other coal mines for approximately equal periods of time. Mr Maddox has been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and medical experts agree that, on balance, the cause was the continued inhalation of coal mine dust throughout his working life. Long term exposure to coal mine dust has been known to cause COPD - In addition, research over the past 20 years has shown that many, perhaps all, dusts previously considered inert can produce COPD or other chronic lung conditions from long-term exposures. CC-UK accept that they owe a duty of care to Mr Maddox but deny liability on the following