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.
Lakeville is a suburb 23 miles (37 km) south of downtown Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Dakota County. On the south metro fringe, Lakeville is one of the fastest growing cities in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The U.S. Census Bureau recorded the population of the city of Lakeville at 43,128 people in 2000. The Metropolitan Council estimate for 2006 was 52,323. Lakeville is located on Interstate Highway 35. With an interstate highway link to the Twin Cities and undeveloped land, Lakeville has grown at rapid pace in the region's exurbia. The city became notable in 1910 when Marion Savage built the Dan Patch Railroad Line to service his Antlers Amusement Park. Subsequently, Lakeville became a flourishing milling center from this line and today, the agriculture industry still is in operation. While a significant percentage of Lakeville's workers commute northward to the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and closer-in suburbs like Bloomington, Lakeville has had major industry since the 1960s—including the Airlake Industrial Park, which is served by Airlake Airport, a regional reliever airport.