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.
Gifford is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hardin County, Iowa, United States. It lies along local roads south of the city of Eldora, the county seat of Hardin County. Its elevation is 945 feet (288 m). Gifford's post office was established on 9 November 1875 and discontinued on 28 February 1907. Although the post office was reopened on 17 February 1908, it was again discontinued on 31 October 1954 and attached to the Union post office. Although its post office is gone, Gifford has its own ZIP Code, 52059, even though the ZIP Code system was not implemented until nearly nine years after Gifford's post office was attached to Union's.