Legal Document

395 U.S. 164 89 Supreme Court Reporter 1706 23 United States Reports Lawyer’s Edition 2d Series KF101.8 U54 176 Ronald L. CRANE, Petitioner,v.CEDAR RAPIDS & IOWA CITY RAILWAY COMPANY. Number 791. Argued April 24, 1969. Decided May 26, John baron Halloran, James Alfveby, Minneapolis, Minn., Arthur O. Leff, Iowa City, Iowa, E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr., Washington, D.C., for petitioner; Hogan Hartson, of counsel. William M. Dallas, Federal KF105 F3 Gaston, Cedar Rapids, respondent. Mr. Justice BRENNAN delivered the opinion Court. 1 The question in this case is whether a State may make defense contributory negligence available to railroad sued by nonemployee damages personal injuries caused railroad's failure maintain its freight cars 'with couplers coupling automatically impact,' as required § 2 Safety Appliance Act 1893,2 7 Statutes-at-Large 531, 45 Code KF62 2.1 Petitioner was employ Cargill, Inc., at meal house and elevator on line respondent railroad. Petitioner's duties were move, weigh, load spotted Cargill's siding track. He working top third string six when coupler malfunctioned first two break away. dismounted ran runaway cars. climbed roof one attempting apply brake he fell 12 14 feet cement apron between tracks suffered severe injuries. brought action tort District Linn County. only claim submitted jury that petitioner's resulted from respondent's maintenance, violation 2, car with defective coupler. Over objection instructed accordance settled law it burden 'to establish preponderance or greater weight evidence * (he) free negligence,' defined 'negligence part person injured which contributed any way degree directly injury.' returned verdict affirmed, 160 North Western Reporter, 2nd 838 (1968). We granted certiorari. 393 1947, 692, 21 690 (1969). affirm. 3 did not create federal cause either employees nonemployees seeking resulting Act. Moore versus C. O.R. Co., 291 205, 54 402, 78 L.Ed. 755 (1934). Congress did, however, subsequently provide employees: created Employers' Liability 1908, 35 65, amended, 51 et seq., embraces claims an employee based violations In such actions, prove statutory thus relieved proving negligence, O'Donnell Elgin, Judge E.R. 338 384, 70 200, 94 187 (1949); Coray Southern Pac. R. 335 520, 69 275, 93 208 Affolder New York, St. L.R. 339 96, 509, 683 (1950). common-law proximate causation but his injury 'in whole part' Act, 51; Rogers Missouri 352 500, 77 443, 493 (1957), deprived defenses assumption risk, §§ 53, 54. 4 contrast, must look remedy commonlaw tort, say sue state court, absence diversity, implement action. Fairport, Pacific KF135 P2 company Meredith, 292 589, 826, 1446 '(T)he right recover sustained through breach duty sprang principle common left be enforced accordingly *.' supra, 215, 406. consequence, we have consistently held under present scheme definition availability risk are law. Schlemmer Buffalo, P.R. 220 590, 31 561, 55 596 (1911); Faip ort, 598, 826; 402; Tipton Atchison, T. S.F.R. 298 141, 56 715, 80 1091 (1936). Our examination relevant legislative materials convinces us decisions should reaffirmed.2 5 recognize injustice denying recovery would denied performing same task manner petitioner.3 But amend statute prevent injustice. It permitted rewrite statute. 6 Affirmed. BLACK, whom Chief DOUGLAS join, dissenting. 8 Congress, States, passed 1893, 27 seq. Consequently, N Dec. Immigration Nationality Decisions think liability federal, state, question. Although true several old cases, cited Court, gave different interpretation, workers whatever remedies they might law, premises these been thoroughly properly discredited. See I. Case Borak, 377 426, 84 1555, 423 (1964). 9 allows against their employer, defense. cannot believe intended become simply because nonemployee, doing work subjected could clearly recover. For reason hold reverse judgment Section provides: 'It shall unlawful carrier engaged interstate commerce haul permit hauled used moving traffic equipped impact, can uncoupled without necessity men going ends cars.' Annotated KF65 U5 2. addition see H.R.Rep. 1386, 60th Cong., 1st Sess., (1908). Louisell Anderson, FELA: A Plea Clarification, 18 Law Contemp. Prob. 281 (1953).

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