Railroad worker injuries are covered under the Federal Employees Liability Act which requires that a railroad maintains their fleet, ensuring that their trains are in good working order and free of defects. If a railroad does not comply with these standards, they may be liable for injuries to their workers. Damages railroad workers may receive include medical treatments, present and future lost wages and mental trauma. An injury on the railway can range from a minor sprain to a spinal injury so severe that it leads to death. Some of the most common injuries that affect railway workers are head trauma, knee injuries, back injuries, neck injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, brain trauma or spinal cord injuries. The Federal Employees Liability Act protects railroad workers and others as diverse as clerical employees whose day-to-day functions do not directly involve trains or outdoor activity.
Prairie Creek (also Middletown) is an unincorporated community in southeastern Prairie Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana, United States. It lies at the intersection of State Roads 63 and 246 southwest of the city of Terre Haute, the county seat of Vigo County. Its elevation is 531 feet (162 m), and it is located at 39°16′30″N 87°29′50″W / 39.275°N 87.49722°W / 39.275; -87.49722 (39.2750390, -87.4972443). Because the community has had multiple names, the Board on Geographic Names officially decided in favor of "Prairie Creek" in 1959. Although Prairie Creek is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 47869. The community is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.