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.
Sophia is an incorporated town in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. It was incorporated in 1912. The population was 1,301 at the 2000 census. Sophia is the hometown of U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd. Danny Barr is currently the Mayor of Sophia. Barr won the June 2 election, resulting in a large upset, beating Taylor by 46 votes. This will mark the fourth time that Danny Barr has been elected Mayor of Sophia. The three previous stints as Mayor resulted in Barr resigning. Barr resigned all three times due to impending prosecution. In Winter of 2006, Taylor allowed Independence High School senior Brett Hatfield to become "Mayor for the day" for his senior project. In this event, Hatfield became a fifth generation mayor of the town, as a great-great-great-great grandfather of his was the very first mayor of the town. The event was covered twice in local newspaper, The Register-Herald. In his brief time in office, Hatfield created a brand new logo for the town. The town is also home to the week long Community Gospel Nights festival, which was started in 2005. The festival is a 5 night event full of music, preaching, and prayer. The festival has been a hit since its first year. Gospel Nights was the vision of local Pastor Mark Hatfield. In January, 2009 both Mayor Taylor and the town of Sophia were featured on the local television network WVVA. The main focus of the said media was the fact that even with the economy failing, the town of Sophia continues to strive and grow with the aid of Mayor Taylor. Mayor Taylor plans to recruit more police officers and annex land, all while paying off the towns' police cruisers and fire trucks.