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.
Alanson is a village in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 785. Alanson is in Littlefield Township on U.S. Highway 31 at the junction with M-68. Petoskey is about 12 miles southwest on US 31 and Mackinaw City and the Mackinac Bridge are about 25 miles north. Interstate 75 is about 11 miles to the east on M-68 at Indian River. The Alanson post office opened with the name Hinman on January 17, 1877 and changed to Alanson on June 22, 1882.